cuthere

Selling in person is fine and definitely has its place but over time you'll limit yourself to just trading hours for dollars. Leverage is key - Specifically finding ways to leverage your time, harness technology, and duplicating effort. I'd recommend using an app such as Loom (It's completely free, and takes about 15 seconds to download). It's a Google Chrome extension that places an icon on your browser. Browse and identify prospects online, then when you've found one, click the Loom icon and it'll ask if you wish to shoot a video with your webcam, or do a screen-shot video, or both... Make your pick and bam - You're now recording. Use the prospects name, introduce yourself, and immediately give value. Focus less on pitching and telling, and more on adding value. Maybe even make a low-risk (To him/her) offer where you mitigate the risk, and give them an opportunity to experience your service instead of just going out on a limb. (When you're done recording the video, it spits out a shareable link you can insert into a email. Also allows you to clip and edit the video before sending) I got into my industry at 22 years old when the average age was late 40's. I was constantly being told "My god, I have grandchildren older than you" in the beginning. After I while I grew tired of that shit and went and studied my ass off to get really good at specific skills I knew my target market lacked, but needed. Back then, it was SEO. I knew they sucked at it, so before the meetings, I'd rank my name and site above theirs on Google, and when I ran my appointments and they made stupid comments about my age, I'd say: "Mind if I show you something real quick"? Then I'd proceed to demonstrate (I'd ask them to look up their ideal keywords, then read off what they found) - Back then SEO was a lot quicker than now-days of course. But point being it allowed me to respectfully assist them in shoving their big fat feet in their mouths as I showed them I was better at marketing my own site for keywords they desperately needed, even though I had no use for it. It completely shifted their attitudes from "my god you're young" to "OMG!! How'd you do that!? We need to team up"!? The key is to: - Find a leveraged way to reach more people - Using Loom or Bomb Bomb (Video email) you can personalize your message, engage, and demonstrate you're not just blasting millions of people - Mitigate risk (To them. Think of it as they have nothing to lose and everything to gain) - Less selling and more demonstrating. Show them something that is undeniably cool, or valuable to them Side-note: There are smart ways to incorporate LinkedIn into a strategy like this Side-note 2: If your audience is within a 50 - 100 mile radius, I'd also recommend targeting them via job-title with Facebook ads Side-note 3: Youtube ads are dirt cheap, and have powerful targeting. You can for example tell YT to show your ads only to individuals who have visited specific websites that exhibit a need, or buyer behavior. This is hands down one of the most powerful filters imaginable. If you can identify sites that only someone who is shopping for, or in need of your services would visit, then you're sitting on a gold-mine. Final thought: Back when I was still building, I made it a requirement to send out 25 contacts like this per week. Every week I had 1 to 1 phone appointment requests from sending out these video messages. People loved them. When I compared side-by-side with text only out-reach campaigns, I was getting 3 times the response. Personalization works! Hope this helps a little. Have any questions, let me know. I eat and breathe marketing and marketing tech 24/7 so happy to share some ideas.

And the crazy part of all this (As if it's not crazy enough already) - Is the MSM is still trying to spin the IRS debacle into a manufactured conspiracy by Conservatives! No kidding, I just read this: Could the EPA hard-drive crash be proof there was no IRS conspiracy?" The article then goes on to point to the fact that the EPA (Yet another gov institution under investigation) cannot supply emails due to a "hrad-drive crash" as evidence that this is a normal occurence, and no emails were destroyed... Nearly fell out of my chair when I read that one. The lengths the MSM has gone to protect this administration shocked even me. (And thought I was done with being shocked by anything that happens in politics these days)

Excellent, thanks for the feedback. Oh, and the R got there on its own. I typed "R" after Coupe, as that'st the designation of the vehicle. But the board turned it into a registered trademark symbol. haha I was more interested in the coupe for the extra power and the fact I already do a lot of driving in a convertible, but do not have a coupe at the moment. Wanted to add some variety. Still keeping my eyes on the market though as it appears a lot of fun vehicles on the way, but thus far I'm pretty taken by this thing.

On a whim the wife and I decided to test drive the new F Type Jag Coupe ® - I was expecting to like the car, but that's it. Boy was I wrong. With the bump in power (550) the car was an absolute blast to drive, and just felt "right." The sound was dead on - A powerful V8 roar with all sorts of gurgling when you let off the gas. The car just felt like it wanted to be driven hard, and the cabin was driver-centric with a great wrap around feel to it. Overall I must say I was impressed and will be picking one up within the next few months. Just put a new toy in the garage 3 months ago, but this was enough fun to convince me to be on the lookout for just the right combo by August. To be honest the convertible just didn't do it for me. It looked "nice" but not "Great." Something was a bit off IMHO. But seeing the coupe - It jumped out at me and I had to give it a go. Not sure what everyone else thinks about the coupe - But curious if anyone else has snagged one yet or taken one for a longer drive?

I agree 1,000% - We purchased a Kamodo last year, and rarely cook indoors any longer - Even in the winter. Let me tell you guys, even a crappy $5 frozen pizza cooked on this tastes amazing! We've tried: Frozen pizza - Hot Pockets, Cookies, Kabobs, you name it... It seems to make everything crispier and tastier. Good thing I have a wife who loves to cook every day! Never going back to a gas grill...

One look at the sea of Iphones and Ipads in that crowd, the plethora of designer clothing and laptops being carried around makes me wonder... What would these yahoo's think of the country if they really got what they wanted? They are so in love with their music, television shows, movies, games, and electronics - But they haven't even thought ahead enough to realize what would happen to all these beloved items if their demands came to pass. If 100% of all debt were just "written off" - All credit card debt, all mortgages, all car loans, all revolving debt. What would that do to our economy? Throw in their ridiculous employment demands, and "free stuff" demands and you have a recipe for a nightmare scenario where the very innovators and creators of their beloved products and gadgets and entertainment would be harmed to the point of no longer finding it worth their time to remain in this country. These are the people who want the rich taxed to oblivion, no debt for themselves, jobs they don't qualify for... How much fun would they have living in what would quickly become a 3rd world country? When all their toys suddenly disappear because it's no longer desirable to remain in the U.S. as a successful business - What then? Idiots I tell you... Have a look at this rocket scientist. Bragging about underwear he stole, and drugs he's doing in public? http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=playe...p;v=z3aqv7TYSM0 http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=playe...p;v=RYLvklgFrRM

Banking and financial regulation by the government beyond the most basic and common sense of regulations is nothing more than a disaster waiting to happen. What tore the real estate and mortgage market apart? Government regulation!! Who was it that FORCED banking institutions to make sub-par loans "or else?" Who was it that claimed it was "all a lie" when the banks, and the Republicans stated that a real estate bubble was creating because of these millions of loans? (Hint: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_MGT_cSi7Rs) These same people who forced bad loans and pushed for Fannie/Freddie to expand and loosen their guidelines then turned around and feigned surprise and outrage after they played a major role in causing this disaster. They were warned on not one, not 2, not 3, not 4, but 5 separate occassions, even Greenspan himself getting involved. They blocked every attempt to reduce government meddling in these affairs - And you think we need MORE of this? How about failed section 32 guidelines on mortgage loans in 13 states that had to be removed in ALL 13 states because it was wreaking havoc on loans for the lower income class? These morons thought it would be a good idea to come in set laws that loan officers could not get paid more than 3% on a loan - Then count payments that had nothing to do with the loan officers fee's as income for the loan officer! In other words, in low income areas, loan officers and banks were lucky to walk away with even 1,200 gross ( Which has to be spllit several ways) for spending months on a transaction in many cases... The result? Mortgage companies and loan officers simply pulled out of those areas. The government calls you "greedy" for wanting to get paid well for working with people who have terrible credit? (These transactions on average take 2 - 3 times more work to close!) Nice... So what was left over was just the banks in these areas, who do NOT lend to bad/no credit individuals. So the very people the government claimed to be helping were harmed as they had no recourse for financing, and in less than 2 years from the implementation, it was all removed back to the original guidelines... Honestly, these are the actions of bumbling idiots. They stick their noses where they don't belong, and screw things up all with what they claim are "good intentions." (Amazing how often their "good intentions" usually result in favorable outcomes for themselves and buddies) These are the same people who pass legislation and programs that ALWAYS cost 300 - 500% more than intended, that if applied to a business, wouldn't last past their first year... How could anyone on this planet think we need MORE of this? Sorry, I don't believe our collective wallets can AFFORD more of these guys...

I agree. If you have a look at the Keyword Tool from Google, you'll find in your city (Making an assumption the facility is in/near the city listed on your profile) there are fewer than 1,500 broad match searches monthly, and even less direct match. (Very rough figures gleaned from just a short 2 minute search) With such a low competition phrase/phrases, this is a keyword group you should be able to rank for on your own in less than 60 days if you're consistent. If you setup a Google Places profile, you could see results even sooner. But it's not going to be an avalanche of traffic by any means. There are other ways to target and grab more traffic using the web than just SEO. I'd recommend giving some attention to this as you will see some results - But don't spend much money to rank, as you won't need to. Then move on to other strategies. The real question you need to ask is "Where does someone go on the web when they're considering this type of facility? Who are they talking to? Where do they congregate? What sort of publications might they consult, and most importantly - What other types of businesses already sell to this demographic that might have a database/audience you can latch onto with joint efforts?" (LinkedIn is an amazing way to connect with these sorts) Tons of opportunity out there to be had with a little digging.

Anyone who really wants to see just how important, and popular (Not to mention profitable) SEO has become in the last few years should check these out:(A bit costly, but if you're going to get involved in a big way, worth the research) http://www.sherpastore.com/2012SearchMarketingBMRSEO.html http://www.sherpastore.com/AgencySEO.html These guides will give you the real world facts, figures, case studies, etc. No hype here - Just hard core data and number crunching. Good stuff! Especially when you see the type of businesses used in these case studies. Should help with the decision making process, and perhaps get the creative juices flowing as well.

I wouldn't go so far as to say 99.99% of SEO companies are scams. About 70 - 75%? Sure. The other 10 -15% are decent, but not great. (But hardly a "scam") - Then the remaining 10% or so are good. There's a bit of confusion hopping around this thread though claiming that SEO is nothing more than keyword insertion on a page. Far from it. If that's all someone is doing for, you've been taken, and failed to do even the most basic of research prior to ordering a service. 70 - 80% of the results enjoyed from a proper SEO campaign have nothing to do with keywords on your site. Throwing a bunch of random back-links and blog comments out there will not cut it either post-Google Panda update. A lot of work goes into a proper SEO campaign these days, especially if you're targeting competitive phrases with stiff competition. A true SEO expert will steer away from manual link building, and instead create viral link-bait campaigns that call for everything from video, software creation, app creation and the like. This approach is far more self sustaining and worth its weight in gold. Best not to cheap out when going this route. If you target the proper phrases with buyer intent, the results can be quite impressive. Back in my SEO days we launched hundreds of sites each year for clients. There is a large amount of "formula" and "science" to be sure, but there is a certain art that comes into play when an organization is trusting you with their results. This is just as much a marketing goal as it is algorithmic in nature. Hire a bunch of tech guys who know how to flip the right switches and turn the right knobs - But have little to no experience in running a proper marketing campaign.... Well, I'm sure you can see where that's headed! For this comment: "And even those guys are scams because they will end up costing you more to get results than the results are worth!" Wow, that's quite the claim there. Must be a lot of businesses out there that need to fire their marketing departments and accountants for allowing them to waste money? I'm reminded of an extended warranty company we managed SEO for - Bringing in enough business to justify doubling their account reps on hand seems to have been a sign of success to me! haha - Service oriented businesses, and big ticket items fair especially well with SEO. Keep in mind, with the proliferation of hyper-local tools such as Google Places, and Yahoo/Bing Local, and local directories SEO is now even more important and profitable. Have literally hundreds of success stories sitting in a folder from my days in SEO - Most remained clients for years, and even transferred their contracts when I sold off the accounts. It works when handled correctly, and does not need to be uber expensive if you are selective as to which services you choose, versus which to handle in-house. (Also, bear in mind that SEO can be semi-temporary. Many businesses are able to toggle down their spending as their sites gain in reputation and solidity)

I personally find that a balance of being able to have the experiences I want, and do the things I enjoy, along with surrounding myself with people I can share these joys with is what makes me happy. But even that happiness soon turns to "somethings missing" if I'm not bettering myself or striving for some personal achievement. Now that personal achievement is often business related, but need not be. This year for example has been all about getting back in shape and reaching a level of fitness that I used to enjoy years ago. It feels great, and those around me can feel the happiness and pride when around me, and have caught the fitness bug too. If forced to lump it all together: Close relationships, achievement, personal goals, and freedom. I would give up a higher income in a heartbeat to have access to the above, and many times have in the past. No regrets, as long as I've maintained a balance. A few years back I let my business slip a bit too far for comfort, and the resulting stress that came with it ruined much of my year. Wasn't worth it, and never made that mistake again!

I think this is cool as well... So is this win-fall they discuss exclusive to this state lotto, or is this common? Never bought a lotto ticket before, so it's all news to me!

Looks like you're right. I just found this: Looks like most the obstacles are home made.

Thanks for the reply. But what I really want is equipment I can use for a live event. Similar to what you'd find at these types of events: http://www.warriordash.com www.toughmudder.com I'm in the very early stages of planning out a rather unique live event myself and taking a look at what sort of options I have for equipment. Thanks again for the replies.

I know this is a tad bit odd... But I'm looking for obstacle course equipment, and cannot seem to find a source? I have found all sorts of climbing rope and nets - But cannot seem to find the rest of the equipment one would normally find at an obstacle course event. Anyone here have any ideas on this?