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WE NEED SECURITY

Posted by Ms. Felecia on May 30, 2009 at 10:52pm

Have you secured your computer? I secured my computer after having to face so may challenges. It was November 2007, I realized learning how to use the computer to promote my business online wasn’t the only challenges I had to face. Has your computer ever froze up? Have you had someone to steal your information online or overcharge you for service that was unsatisfactory?Are you still facing these types of challenges? Mr. Marvin Fredlaw, someone I had met while promoting Coastal Vacation Lifetime travel packages, in the neighborhood. Mr. Fredlaw was visiting in the city of Lima, Ohio he was looking to expand his business. After i spoke about my business to nearby neighbors, Mr. Fredlaw, asked, if I needed a web page or my computer serviced? I replied, I don’t need nobody ripping me off!!Mr. Fredlaw, spoke with humble words and shared more about his business which allowed me to believe, He is a man of integrity.It was 2 hours later Mr. Fredlaw was at my door to service my computer. He repaired and secured many issue concerning my computer and upgraded my internet services. He introduce me to new sites online with the Ning network and he offered reasonable prices and provided satisfactory work. He has shown me to be a man of integrity and a man who Loves the Lord. He is certified and license, and he has a zealous spirit for his work, that I don’t see among many people. I thank God for his people and how we are a help to those who help themselves. Mr Fredlaw has worked among the church and hospital communities servicing computers as well as private business.How secure is your Computer??http://Take time to learn more about Mr. Marvin Fredlaw, a man of integrity and willing to share his wisdom, meet him and become secure online with your business.Follow the links above and Be Blessed by the Best….God Bless!!

Find out how to earn points just for joining and inviting Black people to shop, network and socialize.

Posted by Darlene on May 30, 2009 at 8:02pm

Have you heard of the Ebony experiment? A Black couple has dedicated the next year to try to spend with Black businesses as much as possible. They have a sign outside of their home that is a rolling total of dollars they have spent with Black businesses. I think that is a wonderful idea and a stellar effort. Now if we could just get 39,999,998 other Black people to do the same.Did you know that there are only a few completely Black owned and operated networking sites online today? Most have been started by other ethnic groups because they saw the value in our collective $900+ Billion dollars? Or others are Black Owned Groups located within websites owned by other ethnic groups. Come join me in supporting this new venture which already has a base of over 22,000 positive Black people and businesses and let's change our own economy starting right now!I am so honored to be a part of a Black owned and operated company that is taking social networking, Black business networking and Black shopping by combining them together to help promote & support more Black businesses around the world. This is a free online community for every positive Black person who wants to support Black businesses. So to reward their efforts, every person who joins the site earns points, every time they purchase they earn points, every time they get someone else to join they also earn points. So this creates a viral effect that we expect to change the way Black consumers support Black Businesses.This site will have all of the features of Facebook, Twitter, MySpace and more! So how would you like to be sitting on top of a social network of hundreds or thousands of Black consumers and earning points on every item they purchase and every person they invite to the network that you can redeem to purchase from Black Businesses? Visit www.blackbusinessnetwork.com/TeamDollar right now and sign up for your free account. If you were already a general member of TAG Team, just use that login info. My goal is to get 1,000 people signed up for their free account within the next 30 days. I have joined many groups that you have invited me to; I’m just asking you to do the same for me this one time.Darlene RobinsonEmail: mauddarlene.robinson@yahoo.comCell: 407-283-5163

We are looking for article writers! Contact us about it today!

Posted by Dominique on May 29, 2009 at 11:30pm

My magazine From A Writers POV is looking for article writers. We are looking for writers that give tips and advice for writers and authors as well as business owners.If you would like to submit an article today and have you and your article be featured in an interview on our blog, The POV Lounge, check out more details here: http://fromawriterspov.webs.com/guestarticleform.htmWe look forward to hearing from you!God Bless,Dominique

Etiquette and Ethics – How Do They Compare In Your Social Networking?

Posted by Marjorie Janczak on May 29, 2009 at 8:56pm

I have for some time been studying the conversations on some of the social networks I belong to and have noticed the buzz about building relationships first when you are joining these social media for business.That is so true and great advice yet what I see is that some people do not stop to think about whether their relationship building is ethical and with the proper etiquette.So my question is – How far will you go to build a relationship to benefit your business?Will you be “the gentleman criminal” like Al Capone with all finesse yet a sociopath or Dr Gregory House of the “House” TV series with great ethics yet no manners and etiquette at all?I can help you here, why not be the likes of Dr Kofi Annan whose manners and etiquette are spot on and in addition has sound ethical principles.Now before I continue, I will like to state some facts and definitions here:1.The basic principles of etiquette is to do things the right way and..2.Ethics is basically doing the right thingCertainly there are those who will exhibit impeccable etiquette meanwhile they have no ethics what so ever at all. Possibly that works well with their goal but I will wonder for how long.On the other hand, you will, and I see a lot of people with great ethics yet they have no idea of proper etiquette at all.This makes them to send the wrong signals to people they meet for the first time and they miss out on a lot of opportunities.Their first impressions just puts others off and they most of the time really do not get the chance to proof themselves otherwise.Others also do have the charm and grace yet do not have good ethics at all to support it.However, I want to mention that although proper etiquette and ethics are at an all time low now, there are still those who practice both and do reap the juicy rewards that comes with both proper etiquette and good ethics.No matter how you see this, I will like to state that both ethics and etiquette work hand in hand to create a man or woman of integrity, repute and good image in any circumstance or media.You cannot be a person of great polish and yet deep inside your ethics are clothed in question marks. That to me is a criminal in disguise.Also no matter how good hearten you may be and you keep doing the right thing, not have some polish, in my opinion does not do you any good because you keep sending the wrong messages that, deep inside, are really not true and will only take a patient and enduring person to discover the true you after a while.Unfortunately, the world today is not that patient and is moving so fast that people simply do not have the time to wait and see.Remember that people judge you by what they first see and as they accept you in their company, they then start to study your principles.No matter what media it may be, being on any social media for business and not having good etiquette and ethics is a big minus that you must do your best to change.No matter how long you try to play the good person without being truly authentic will eventually come to light.So whether you are starting a new business or you are a veteran, stick to good ethics and practice proper etiquette.With these two you will never go wrong and you will build the appropriate relationships and reputation and will build your business for long term gains.

The Gospel View

Posted by Denise Bethune on May 29, 2009 at 7:15pm

Testimony of a Born Again Thug

Posted by Michelle Diane on May 29, 2009 at 7:00pm

He was tall, barely tan and at forty-five, his thick wavy hair already gleamed like new chrome. Old Spice tickled my nose when he held me close; it is still the sexiest scent I know. Even then my parents weren’t particularly fond of me. I was the source of their mutual resentment, the “accident” that forced them into violent union. But, until that moment, I’d felt safe; until that moment, I was his Mike and I knew my uncle loved me.I’d been to the doctor that afternoon. Of course, I don’t remember why, but I remember getting a, “this won’t hurt a bit,” shot. Uncle stopped by to check on me, but too soon his attention was focused on momma. Like any self-respecting three year old, I wasn’t having him giving away my attention. So, moaning, I climbed off the couch, limped over to him at the dining room table and tried to tell him the shot she said wouldn’t hurt did. He laughed at me; when I protested and reached for him, he scolded me. My beloved uncle sent me back to the couch with a swat; then he and the woman who regularly reminded me I was a mistake shared a long, loud laugh at the little faker. Never since have I felt so shamed or betrayed.Fast forward ten years, I don’t remember what the yelling was about, by the time I was thirteen all the screaming and tears kind of ran together. I remember momma had this skinny beige belt she used to whip me with. She was standing in her bedroom door lecturing me and popping that belt when time stopped and the world went dark. “I wish I’d had the courage to abort you.” She yelled that a back alley abortion, after my sister was born, nearly cost her her life, and only her fear of reliving that experience or worse forced her to bring me into the world. “I wish I made a different decision. I wish I’d never brought you here.” Those words, the fear that they would someday come flying out of my mouth and murder some innocent child, deeply colored my decision to abort my own children,“You little bitch.” I heard daddy yell just before my head hit the wall so hard the plaster cracked. He was shaking me by my throat, swearing he’d kill me when I passed out, thinking he had.Daddy beat up everybody in the house; there was no protection and nobody was safe. Whenever he was done venting his rage, he’d tell whoever he’d left in a broken heap, “If you don’t like it, you can get out.” My mother and siblings not only stayed but they groveled and scraped to please him. Me? I wanted him to be crystal I didn’t like it and I left. Years of being molested by my dad taught me that my body had the power to make men do things. After that beating, I put my knowledge to practical test and talked a Navy man I knew into sending for me. The night I landed in San Diego was the night I lost my virginity. It was painful and bloody, but it was alright, because he said he loved me. I was fourteen. Next morning he left me sleeping and went to work; I awakened to police bursting through the motel room door. The manager, who’d let them in, stood there gawking, as they hand-cuffed me, still naked in a bloody bed. A cop told me my navy man had called. Later, when I got the chance to ask him why, he told me my cherry was worth the price of a plane ticket, but better I went to jail then him. The promiscuity began then and there; in that moment I knew daddy was right – the only thing about me that was any good at all was the little hole between my legs.My daddy used to tell me that I was such a worthless bitch I wouldn’t even make a good whore.I broke away from my dad’s house just to find myself living with a bigger, angrier brute. He beat me so regularly nobody needed a calendar. Michelle’s eye is black; Michelle’s in the emergency room it must be Sunday. I left him the day I finally realized one of us was going to die; on that day I was pretty sure it wasn’t going to be me. I picked up my then two year old daughter and walked out the door. He reached over my head, snatched her from my arms and told me if I turned around he’d kill me. Not wanting my child to watch one of her parents die at the hand of the other, I pilled my t-shirt over my head, flung it backward into his face, told him he could have everything I had but my car keys and ran. By the time he regrouped to chase me, the car door was locked and the engine running; he claimed I ran over his foot when I took off.Over the years I’ve been beaten, raped and kidnapped at gunpoint. My momma, who’d been watching my oldest daughter while I worked and struggled to grow up, stole her. She had me declared unfit and served me with papers, on my job, that immediately terminated all access to my baby. I hired a lawyer who’d been a long time “friend”; I found out some years later my parents paid him to botch the case.Discovering that stealing my children had been a carefully laid plan destroyed whoever I had been. It was the first time I was confronted with I set before you life and death. Choose…even in the depths of that dark insanity, I had enough sense to know if the teacher gives you the answer, take it. From that day to this I’ve been fighting to break the cycles and stay the generational curses. Twenty-one years later, here I sit telling horror stories to you.It’s that hell fire and pain that makes me do what I do. Not because those who were “supposed” to love me most betrayed me and left me for dead, but because, by grace, I’m still here.Folks who have no experiential knowledge of hell are generally of one of two mindsets. They either believe it’s an inescapable forever sentence or that escape is merely a simple decision away. Though I’ve met many who seem irrevocably stuck, I know there is a road out. And like you I’ve heard the tales of those whose life turned one hundred and eighty degrees with just a touch, but I’ve never met anyone who was Enoched out of the fire. It’s a bloody, sweaty, painful process that demands more from you than you think is with-in your capability to survive. Cool water is respite afforded the warrior who desires it above even life.Nearly fifty years ago I told God that I didn’t know what the truth was, but I knew the folks around me were lying to me. I told God I’d do anything he wanted me to do, if he would just show me Truth. For all ya’ll that don’t know, be very careful what you ask of Divinity, and more careful still what you promise. That which you ask you will receive and you are accountable for your word and all you are given.Ya’ll know I don’t allow no preaching in the pages of Not Ur Momma’s News; that’s because I see too often the names Jesus and Allah are hurled with the same divisive venom as house saggin and field saggin. So, I hope ya’ll will forgive or excuse me as needs be, but I’m gonna take a little momma license up in here and show ya’ll my heart.See me and God we got this thing; it’s my Daddy and my Momma I’m talking about. Yin Yang, if you need a picture. This ain’t no pulpit, ceremonial relationship either and I’m not talking to you about something I read somewhere. I know who held/holds my hand. I know who so often picked me up and protected me from the worst of the flames. God has many names, many faces spanning myriad centuries and cultures. And I know all of those names describe and refer to the God whose name is above all names, to the God, my God, whose name is simply…Love.My mom and dad told me they planned to name me Gloria Blanche after my grandmothers. I always thought it was a very kool name, but my Dad and my Mom had other plans. For reasons the earthly pair could never quite explain, the named me Michelle Diane. It means Warrior Angel, Hunter Goddess ya’ll and I am my Parent’s daughter.I am here, NUMN is here because I have lived, survived and largely overcome nearly every kind of pain imaginable. I failed at or destroyed everything I touched; I can write tomes on how to muck stuff up. I am here because in a moment of abject darkness, Love whispered to me.Ya’ll, I could have been, should have been dead. I’ve looked down the barrel of five different guns, and no, I wasn’t cleaning them. I could have, should have been under the jail, but Love got me out of a money case that might have cost me twenty-five years. I coulda/shoulda been in a mental institution; ya’ll read the history. I coulda/shouda had A.I.D.S.; I won’t count the lovers if you won’t. But Love…Can I talk to ya’ll just a little about Love?I’d seen, lived a whole lot of miracles, but none of them really registered until that afternoon I realized Love, despite of all I’d been and been through, Love covered every ugly thing I’d ever done. Love loved me without judgment or condition, Love loved me.I love you like that, no matter who you are or where you’ve been, because more than anything I want you to see my Mom and Dad whenever you see me. Let’s not get it twisted. I ain’t sistah super spiritual and I need a dictionary to even spell perfect. I get mad and tired, lazy and moody. Sometimes I pump a whole lot of arrogant hoping nobody will notice I’m overflowing with fear. I come to give freely what has been given me, a simple and abiding love.The other day Belinda and I were working on the business plan and the question arose, “What qualifies you to lead?” Messed my head up and I couldn’t come up with an answer. Until that moment, I hadn’t stopped to consider whether I possessed the expertise to publish NUMN and TBBU or organize a community micro-funding plan. I was just merrily and rather haphazardly doing what I do. I had to stop and think; you’re reading where the process led. Bear with me just a little longer please. I want to share a little about the middle with you. I know you’re getting tired of me talking, because I’m getting writer’s cramp.Anyway, in short, my qualifications are thus: Ten years on staff journalism experience as an investigative reporter and copy editor and thirty plus years experience as a freelancer. I am an award winning, Tony Robbins and Brian Tracy trained, sales professional, with over seven years, ranked in the top twenty percent, experience. And with a partner, owned and operated one of the most successful Adult Entertainment businesses in South West Florida – legally – with a business license and paid taxes, mine anyway, and without drama or arrest, for six years. We were averaging a couple grand a night and I admit I did ask my dad once if that made me a good enough whore for him. Lord knows he wasn’t turning down any of the money.There you have it ya’ll. I suffered; so I recognize pain when I see it. If I can make it even a little easier for someone else than it was for me, I’m there. I know what it is to be in a pit so deep and dark you begin to question if light is a mere figment of imagination. I’ve fondled many a razor blade ya’ll, but I know the way to the light, because I’ve walked the road. Perhaps my pain can/will show another that there is more than hope, there’s a way out.I know the roots of the horrors that once shattered me are largely the roots, the curses pervading and fragmenting African America to this day. The rape my great-grandmother likely endured is the same rape my mother endured. The same rape that made her indifferent when she knew my dad was molesting me. The frustrated rage that caused papa to beat her for what the massa had done to her is the same festering psychosis that fueled daddy’s violence and made my black eyes a time piece.My momma used to say, “The time has came and something definitely gotta be did.” I’m here to turn over the tables in the temples. I hear somebody singing, “Waiting, waiting, waiting on the world to change.” I came to break up choir practice; just stopped by to tell ya’ll, waiting ain’t fixin to change nothing. Barack Obama cannot and will not fix it. Must we be reminded so soon? Obama isn’t our savior, merely the public face of the force that is us. I’m here to tell you the days of waiting on them and somebody are over. We are them and you, you, you and me, we’re somebody. I hear to tell you yes we can, while everybody is focused on a suntanned version of the same old government posturing, yes we can create and secure economic autonomy. In scant two years, we raised 800 million dollars to buy the Oval Office; surely in these next four we can accumulate enough dollars to buy back our communities. I have a dream that one day little black boys and little white boys will truly come together on an equal playing field, because both are in complete control of their own destiny. Yes we can take advantage of the larger economic fiasco to free our entrepreneurial spirits to soar from the ashes. This country was built on the backs of our innovation and creativity, and it is with that same innovation and creativity we can and must claim what is rightfully ours, Yes we can stop begging for reparation and protesting in Jena and in front of Rent-a-Center like a spot on the evening news is gonna get us a little extra justice. America is reeling. The economy is in shambles; there’s a … Barack Obama in the White House and Stephen, oops Steele figure heading the GOP. The “silent majority” is freaking out; look at ‘em they’ve got Rush Limbaugh in charge. Al, Jesse, Tavis and the boys have been rendered as immaterial as they have been ineffectual. The old dichotomy is shattered; social chaos and general confusion abound. While the focus is on whether we are ready for a lesbian on the Supreme Court, I say the time has came to take a page out of that old book. No, not the Bible, Soledad Brother; the time is come for us to march on long ago given orders. Yes we are the masters of our fate and I say, right now, yes we can infiltrate and overtake.Reprinted by Permission of Not Ur Momma's News

Camp Destiny

Posted by Denise Bethune on May 29, 2009 at 6:06pm

MOST AFFORDABLE SUMMER CAMP in Orange County . Space is limited, don't delay!New Destiny Christian Center, Inc. 505 E. McCormick Road Apopka, Florida 32703 407-884-NDCC www.ndcc.tv

Whose D$%N (Yes...I Did!) Goals as These ANYWAY?!: INHERITED BELIEFS & INHERITED GOALS

Posted by THE CONFIDENCE ARCHITECT on May 29, 2009 at 5:30pm

(A Re-print from the May 2009 "ASPIRATION-INSPIRATION-EMPOWERMENT-MOTIVATION", The Bi-Weekly Ezine for Success Driven Women of Color)Whose D$%N (Yes... I did!) Goals are These ANYWAY?!by V. Ivana Foster, The Confidence ArchitectWherever there is an INHERITED BELIEF you will also find an INHERITED GOAL! (close your eyes and begin to think back now)Just because big sister, mama, and big brother stood behind the counter ready to take the next person's order at the nearest fast food chain DOES NOT mean that you have to do the same thing.Newsflash!!! INHERITED GOALS like INHERITED BELIEFS are OPTIONAL GIFTS!!!!!You have the optional of turning them down OR re-structuring them to fit into YOUR life design.To thine own self be true.When we attempt to walk in the path of someone else's steps, it doesn't quite feel real to us, The same goes for goals. It is easy for someone to add a new goal onto one of your goals and...it is quite easy for YOU to suddenly feel compel to follow that path (i.e. "oh...this is my mother's dream" or "Everyone in the family is a lawyer ..." or "All of my family/friends/associates are married/divorced/single..."). After a while you will not have a clue as to where the goal came from and worse yet....how you got it!!!.Family, friends, and even strangers can offer suggestions for achieving your goals but be sure that the goal still remains uniquely yours.Ask yourself a series of questions to ensure that the current goal(s) do, in fact, belong to YOU!:1. Do you desire to complete this goal?This is an important question. Without motivation for success you won't succeed. Sometimes what you perceive as laziness is a lack of motivation because the goal is in some way not really your idea in the first place.2. Can you define the goal?If a goal comes from your heart, your true desire, you can tell anyone and everyone something about it in just a few words and plenty of passion. Whatever question they ask, you can answer them with enthusiasm because it is a goal that you want to accomplish. When the details are fuzzy, the goal might not be your idea.3. Are you doing it for someone else?If you are preparing to become the next Ebony Beauty Queen because your sister, mother, grandmother, and the women 5 generations down held the title and you could truly care less about the title...then, that goal needs some thought followed by a real conversation with members of the family. You see...it is YOUR responsibility to explain YOUR definition of SUCCESS...First to yourself and then to others (if you so desire)!4. Are you focused?The goal seems to take a long time to complete. Before you let others jump to conclusions about your commitment, you take a look. Are you still committed to the goal? Why is the focus gone?It is not considered quitting when you drop a goal that you discover wasn't yours in the first place.There are NO Failures in Life... Just the RESULTS of Prior Actions........Changing the Actions....Changes the Results!If you DO NOT ACTIVELY choose and design your OWN life goals...someone or something will choose them for YOU!Your Life, Your Dreams, ...Your Responsibility!Listen to the universe, your heart, your soul, and your passion!Success!~Ivana, Life Coach to Success Driven Women of ColorWANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR EZINE OR WEB SITE? You can, as long as you cite this complete statement with it: Author, Certified Subconscious Restructuring(TM) Coach, Life Empowerment Coach and speaker; Ivana, 'The Confidence Architect publishes the informative, empowering, and motivating 'Aspiration-Inspiration-Empowerment-Motivation' Bi-Weekly EZine, with over 5,000 Success Driven Women of Color. If you're ready to leverage your life, accomplish your goals, and live INSIDE your purpose, passion and dreams; visit www.MyAspirationsDCS.com (for Individual Empowerment Coaching) and www.MyNorthStarLEP.com (for Platinum-Level Group Coaching ALWAYS 24.99 A Month) to receive your FREE introductory North Star LEP membership.Begin your FREE Subscription to 'ASPIRATION-INSPIRATION-EMPOWERMENT-MOTIVATION' to receive coaching and empowerment tips, techniques, and strategies (like the article above) directly in your inbox TODAY.

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'White Swan' Marketing, or How to Focus on What Works!

Posted by Rev. Dorothiea Roberts on May 29, 2009 at 5:04pm

'White Swan' Marketing, or How to Focus on What WorksCustomer Behavior, Marketing Plans, Marketing Strategy, Measurement, MetricsWhen the latest marketing answers fail to produce the results you expect, maybe it's time to start asking different questions.You don't need me to tell you that we're in a crisis of confidence: Consumers don't believe or act on the information we give them in the ways we'd hope, so we're losing faith in the strategies and tools we use to communicate with them. We're asked questions about sales, and we reply with answers about "engagement" and conversational "buzz."Budgets are down, expectations are up, and the proliferation of new solutions for "engaging" with consumers in conversations seems inversely proportional to results that our employers and clients can value. We believe that somehow, sometime, all those efforts will coalesce—the dots will connect—and yield stunning successes, just like those celebrated in case histories and magazine articles.I have news for you: We're chasing black swans. And if we keep doing it, we're doomed.--------------------------------------------------------------------------------What's a Black Swan?In his book The Black Swan: The Impact of the Highly Improbable (Random House, 2007), financial trader Nassim Nicholas Taleb elaborates on the conundrum of swan coloring: Although your experience may be that you've only ever seen white swans, that doesn't preclude the appearance of a black one. Once you've seen that black swan, you can work backwards to come up with an explanation for it...but you can't rely on the same variables producing another one in the same way or place, or at the same time again. You may not see another black swan for years, if ever.So missing the lessons of history doesn't mean you're going to repeat its mistakes, per se; you couldn't replicate them if you tried. The key variables that determine the outcomes of events, or the events themselves, are usually unpredicted:A tidbit of information that nobody knew was relevantAn insight that was unique or occurred in a unique moment in timeA chain of events that produced a novel outcomeScientific breakthroughs, terrorist attacks, and every surprising news story make perfect sense when studied retrospectively. But rarely, if ever, can they be forecast. More important, they can't be replicated, at least not with any certainty of the outcome.How is it that the reliability of our marketing plans often proves illusive, and our estimates of the likelihood of success reveal, in hindsight, to have been little better than misplaced hope? It's because we are obsessed with studying, copying, and praying for black swans.Relying on the UnreliableConventional wisdom suggests that experiences can be replicated. Great successes are achievable, but only if we understand the components involved. Missteps or failures, therefore, represent an imperfect understanding of those events. A strategic point missed or an executional detail botched—study and map such events, and plan your future actions accordingly.Black swan theory suggests that this planning approach is doomed, because you can never know exactly which element made the difference or how it made the difference. You certainly can't rely on duplicating the circumstances again. Tomorrow is going to be different from yesterday, by definition.For instance, in my book, Branding Only Works on Cattle, I explore the story of Buckminster Fuller, who died at a ripe old age after writing dozens of patents; winning accolades from world leaders; and making an impact on social theory, industrial design, and a host of other subjects. Yet what first brought him notoriety was a department-store PR guy who wanted someone who seemed "futuristic" to help market a furniture sale. Fuller's fame was a black-swan event.So skip how tough or unforgiving today's consumer might be. Don't blame our difficulties on the marketplace. We're doing ourselves a great disservice by inventing branding and marketing plans that can never come to fruition. We talk about strategies, but our estimates of the likelihood of success are just shy of wild guesses.Moving to Reasonable ExpectationsIf the real determinants of successes and failures are unpredictable, then marketers should redefine the terms and metrics used to quantify them.Recognizing that the best, most stellar brand-marketing success stories are the unreliable exceptions to the norm, we could go about identifying and quantifying more reasonable expectations. We should stop trying to produce black swans and instead focus on building marketing strategies and tactics based on the white ones.Let's call it "white-swan marketing." What might it mean for us?--------------------------------------------------------------------------------First, we'd choose to forgo aspirational goals—and relying on variables outside our control—and instead define guaranteed deliverables. I know it's probably anathema to your training, but there's some percentage of sales results that you can all but guarantee, isn't there? Maybe it's because you'll rely on current customers or pent-up demand among a specific consumer segment. Perhaps there's a transactional equation that has always worked for you through such a variety of different circumstances that it's effectively a truism. Your budget and plan should be based on delivering those results.Imagine using such a forecast as the basis for your goal setting: You could cast your campaign objectives using declarative verbs, not the subjunctive, and your promise to management (or to your client) wouldn't be a "what if" hope or intention but a tangibly real "and then" expectation. It might not be as sexy or large or quick as anybody would hope, but it would go far toward helping you define ROI on which everyone could depend.Second, reserve a small portion of your strategy and budget for gambling, for Hail Mary passes—actions that almost defy what the past might tell you to expect. In other words, designate your black swan goals (usually involving what were formerly your overall goals).Black swan goals are likely to be counterintuitive, as well as dependent on chance occurrences. So it could be great if some bloggers supported your product and did so-and-so. If consumers at XYZ stores did something, here's what it could prompt. Whatever the breakthrough, identify it as just that—a potential black swan—and state it in your plans with the appropriate caveats.In this way, you remove most of the uncontrollable downside variability inherent in your plans while maintaining exposure to the potential upside. You won't find yourself depending on a black swan to emerge, but you'll be ready if one does.Finally, whether you need to manage your white-swan delivery or be ready to respond to a black-swan event, you need to know what's going on.A white-swan marketing approach would give you a new set of criteria and metrics for your planning. No longer would you be content with measuring "awareness" or "clicks/visits." Rather, you'd instead look for proof points of movement—requests, votes, inputs, forwards, inquiries, complaints—toward your sales goals. Conversations would matter only insomuch that they yielded outcomes to other steps. You wouldn't plan to "introduce" or "educate" people as much as inspire and motivate them to do things.Your branding success would be measured by the behaviors of your target audiences, not simply by how often (or how creatively) you subjected them to your brilliant creative thinking.White-Swan MarketingThere's no rulebook for a white-swan approach to your marketing plans—no established orthodoxy, or thriving community of inspired vendors or theorists haggling to sell you the methodologies, philosophies, and software platforms needed to accomplish it.That's good news: It means there's nothing stopping you from applying the principles on your own, to your tactics and/or strategies, starting the moment you finish reading this article. Here are five steps you can take immediately:1. Rewrite your casesTake the latest, most "important" case you have been handed (or found) and upon which you want to model a project.Revise it based on two criteria: the activities that the business initiated that prompted a consumer response of some sort (a behavioral response, like a trial, vote, register, whatever, but not awareness), and things that occurred—most connections between activities—that were not under the control of the business (e.g., chance, opportunity).Assign a third, follow-on category (either a sorting or addition activity) that specifies the outcome(s) of the case, measured also in behaviors, not awareness.You'll immediately have a different perspective on the "what" of the case, and how it was delivered. You may see that you don't want to duplicate it, necessarily, or that the deliverables are altogether valuable to you.2. Assess the likelihood of successLook at your activities in each category, and estimate whether they'd happen again.Consider what had to occur—what were the levers, influences, causal connections—for things to happen.Take a risk and specify a percentage, effectively finishing the sentence "I think there's a ___% chance that this element would happen the way we want it."Assign a lower percentage for activities beyond your direct control (like people "finding" your site or a key blogger giving you the review you want, and readers taking some subsequent action, etc.).Be ruthlessly conservative; remember, you want to understand what you can all but guarantee, not just what you hope for.This step will help you better analyze the strengths and vulnerabilities of your current plans.3. Revise "shoulds" to "wills"This step is a tough one.Look at a current project, based on your understanding of your model case, and apply your success analysis to it (Step 2).Determine what it would take to make each deliverable all but unavoidable. In other words, edit "out" all the hope and blind faith you possess in things just "happening," and brainstorm (however strategically or creatively as necessary) how you'd go about making sure something happens. Obviously, if an activity remains subjunctively impaired, it should have a low success percentage, right?Ensure that the things that you can all but guarantee will happen are the core, most important, and highest-reward elements of your plan. If they're not, you probably have a strategic issue to resolve. At a minimum, you might discover several weaknesses or outright holes in your plans, and find ways to remedy them before you go to market.4. Reallocate dollars to certaintiesReassess your allocation of funds, and see whether you should (and can) put more money behind the things that you can all but guarantee will happen—and thus are likely the most important things to happen—and take money away from the gambles.Be ruthless, and challenge the program elements that you might otherwise love, and see them as building blocks: You need to affirm the basics, and the foundation, before you can even consider taking risks. In doing so, it's more than likely that you will see your budget skew toward pretty standard, basic activities that aren't all that sexy but will help ensure that your program succeeds.Think also about budgetary support outside your direct control, and use this exercise as a tool to talk to other departments (most notably Technology and Customer Service). Are they set up and ready to support your priorities? Now you have a basis to show them what they are and why they matter.5. Pick your black-swan betsNow comes the fun part!Specify some really wild gambles after you've recast your model and current project in terms of a white-swan strategy. Are those gambles some of the elements that had such a low likelihood of success that you wrote them out of your plans earlier on? Perhaps there are other pie-in-the-sky components that would be just amazing if they happened, even if they're about as predictable as a meteor strike.And that's the point of a black swan, really; you really don't know when, where, or how it will occur. You can make an educated guess, but that fantasy shouldn't be at the heart of your plans. It should be a welcome, marvelous surprise.Remind yourself that if and when one of those black swan events occurs—the blog post prompts a zillion replies or Oprah agrees to hand out your products to her studio audience—don't incorporate it into your case model for next time. About the only thing more unlikely than a black-swan event is the recurrence of one!* * *Again, the white-swan approach to your planning can be applied in bits and pieces or as an overall approach (as outlined above). The ultimate point is that you should consider getting into the business of guaranteeing results, not just throwing stuff into the cosmos and hoping that good things will happen. That's just a bad way to get work done, and it doesn't do your career any favors.Stop chasing black swans, and start delivering white ones.

Our Daily Motivation Friday May 29, 2009: Sweet Freedom

Posted by Rev. Dorothiea Roberts on May 29, 2009 at 4:30pm

Sweet freedomImagine being free from worry. Imagine being free from the grip of fear.Think of all that you could accomplish. Think of how much more energy and enthusiasm and creativity you would have.In fact, you can be free from the worries and fears. You can be free from them in an instant if you choose.For worry is your own creation. Fear is nothing more than a response you have chosen.Freedom is sweet, and energizing and powerful. Know that you can be free whenever you choose, and the fresh, empowering breeze of freedom begins to waft throughout your whole life.This is a beautiful day and you are magnificently blessed. Free yourself to experience the richness of it all.R. MarstonAnd Please Remember what we have been taught:"I Can Do All Things Through Christ Who Strengthens Me"Philippians 4:13Therefore I say to you, all things for which you pray and ask, believe that you have received them, and they will be granted you."Mark 11:22-24"For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."Romans 8:38-39God Bless You,

How to Create eBooks People Want to Buy

Posted by LaShanda Henry on May 29, 2009 at 4:00pm

The Problem: Slow eBook Sales When I first started self-publishing and creating eBooks, I was all mixed up. I wanted to sell what I wanted to sell, whether people wanted to buy it or not *lol*. My hubby had a lot more experience in the retail industry than I did, so he kept telling me, “You can’t sell that one LaShanda, you have to sell the one that People Want to buy.” Being the stubborn gal that I can sometimes be, I stuck to my guns and pitched the Books I wanted to sell, until I bought a vendor table at the Harlem Book fair and got the biggest shock of my life! The Solution: Create eBooks that People WANT or NEED to Buy At the time all I wanted to do was sell my educational guide for Black Parents and Students, but all everybody else wanted was my cute, children’s book! Of course you know the hubby gave me the “I told you so look!” And that’s when it hit me! Whether you are selling print books or eBooks, you have to sell what people want to buy, NOT what you want to sell. At the Harlem Book fair I realized that people wanted to buy my African American Children’s Book, that was the definitely the best seller of the bunch. On the flip side, online, people really want to buy my how-to eBooks for Entrepreneurs. Many entrepreneurs want and need to know what I know, which is why my eBook sales continue to increase every month. The Question: How do you increase your eBook Sales? If you really want to know how to create eBooks that sell, I suggest reading the one eBook that tells it all, “Desperate Buyers Only” by Alexis Dawes. I almost fell out of my chair when I saw that this eBook was $77, but I grit my teeth and bought it because I NEEDED to hear what Alexis had to say and honestly, my purchase is a testament to her point. When you cater to desperate buyers, people who have problems that you can really fix, they are the easiest people to sell to because Need and Desire trump price every time. Trust me when I say, simply knowing that you need to sell to desperate buyers, is not enough. In order to understand the system behind steady and increased eBook Sales, you have to read the book, “Desperate Buyers Only”. While you are reading, you feel like Alexis is taking you by the hand and giving you an all access, step by step understanding of how eBook Sales and Internet Marketing actually work. As soon as you start, on the very first page, Alexis jumps into the how and why of creating eBooks that sell. She breaks down how you can:

Find a Profitable Topic and a Target Audience who wants to Buy what You are Selling
She Details Her Own Sales Copy, so you can see how to write down your pitch
She goes over pricing and how you can charge big bucks for Free content
She shows you how to research your topic and really connect with your buyers
Plus her system can truly be applied to any Internet Marketing System, not just selling eBooks

If you seriously want to learn how to create eBooks and sell eBooks, this one is a must buy. The price ain’t pretty I know, but 3 eBook Sales at $20 a pop just about covers the cost. Plus it sets you up for more sales in the future. Here is the website link for Desperate Buyers Only eBook. Related Article by SistaSense: How to Create eBooks Online Additional Tip: Use E-Junkie for ebook delivery and your affiliate program. It all ties into PayPal (or other payment processors) and it’s only $5 a month.

E-junkie Shopping Cart and Digital Delivery

Ego extensions L.A. Offers 15% Discount On Lace Wigs For Chemotherapy Patients (805)426-5227

Posted by Ego Extensions L.A. Lace Wigs on May 29, 2009 at 4:00pm

CLICK LINK TO VISIT STORE --->HTTP://WWW.EGOEXTENSIONS.COM

Information Regarding Cancer and Chemotherapy Wigs

The Ego Extensions Los Angeles Staff wants to help you during this time.Please contact our main office at (818)287-9175.A Lace wig specialist will explain all of the options available to you.We offer a 15% discount on all Custom Lace wigs to clients suffering from Hair loss due to Chemotherapy and provide information in regards to Medical Coverage for your Unit.

The Diva Business Boutique

Posted by Karen on May 29, 2009 at 2:41pm

Gain Instant Access to Thousand online prospect Work Smart Not Hard

Posted by Rickey on May 29, 2009 at 6:59am

Gain Instant Access to Thousands of New Prospect. Work Smart Not HardHello Community,You know I advocate simplicity. This is program ( actually 2 ) that allow you to promote your primary programand get paid, when other promote their primary program. Regardless to what product/service you offer you must promote, constantly, and outside your warm contacts. Gain new prospects now!!!use this program to gain an instant list ( hotspot mailer )and use viral list ( click on link at top of page ) to get paid for contacts as you build your primary programhttp://www.viral-list.com/link/hotspot

Using the Power of Systems to Succeed In Business!

Posted by Trina Newby on May 29, 2009 at 5:30am

I have had many people to ask me how do I stay so organized or how do I accomplish so many things with my company, Women About Biz. The answer is that I have learned "the power of using systems"!For anything that you want to accomplish you have to have a system worked out from beginning to end. This means from the start of an idea or project you must first sit down and write out your system.Below are 8 ways to develop your system:1. Write down the end result of what you are wanting to achieve

2. Write down the milestone or deadline of when you would like to see your idea or project completed.

3. List all tasks that are associated with completing the goal

4. Plot all milestones (deadlines) and tasks on a master calendar

5. Identify which tasks you'll complete and which ones you'll delegate. Note: when you delegate or contract someone to do a tasks always set a deadline to hold that individual accountable.

6. List any challenges that might prevent you from accomplishing the goal

7. Find solutions to the challenges

8. Make a list of people that can serve as support or assist you in making it happenCreating a system prior to implementing an idea or project will help to decrease procrastination and help you to stay focused, as well as organized. The master calendar mentioned above will help you to hold yourself accountable and others.One other thing that I would like to mention is that you can't do everything yourself. You must know how to positively use the talent of other people to help you.Here's to making it happen through planning your system!Trina NewbyYour Business & Success Coachwww.WomenAboutBiz.com

Better Late Than Never has received 3 great reviews!

Posted by Stephanie Morris on May 29, 2009 at 2:00am

Writing is my biggest passion and I love it when people enjoy my work. Better Late Than Never has received 3 Great Book Reviews! Check out the Reviews!Happy Reading!Stephanie Morris

monavie

Posted by Brittany Moore on May 29, 2009 at 1:43am

WELCOME ABOARD... A NEW LIFE STYLE AND BUSSINESS OPPORTUNITY..IS AWAITING FOR YOU!Drink it, Feel it, Share it!What is MonaVie?MonaVie is a functional beverage that was created under the watchful eye of a distinguished group of health care experts.The FruitsMonaVie is comprised of a blend of 19 different friuts. More than 100 fruits were tested and 19 were selected for their natural benefits.Serving SizeThe recommended serving size of MonaVie is 1-2 ounces, two times a day.Açai BerryThe açai berry (pronounced ah-sah-ee) is the "Crown Jewel" found in the MonaVie blend. The ingredient label on the MonaVie bottle indicates the fruit that is most prevalent is the amazing açai berry...found only high atop towering palm trees in the lush, Amazon Rain Forest of South America. Learn more about tha açai berryThe Importance of PhytonutrientsPhytonutrients are dietary components that are somewhat new to the ﬁeld of nutrition.Phytonutrients are generally described as chemical components of plants that favorably alter the structure or function of the body. They have been shown to have beneﬁcial effects on health and disease prevention. In an era of remarkable nutritional discoveries, it is appropriate to broaden our deﬁnition of a nutrient to include substances proven by rigorous scientiﬁc methods that are involved in disease prevention.MonaVie includes 19 deeply pigmented fruits from around the world, since this provides the widest spectrum of disease-ﬁghting, health-enhancing phytonutrients and antioxidants.Mona Vie is a delicious and energizing blend of the Brazilian Acia berry - one of natures top super-foods - and other Nutrient dence fruits. Mona Vie produces the phytonutrients and antioxidents you need to maintain a healthy and active lifestyle.Contact InfoEmail:Website:http://www.mymonavie.com/brittanymooreOffice:www.mymonavie.com/brittanymooreLocation:n/aColumbus, OH

Vision Article of the Week: Homebuying 101!

Posted by Annetta Powell on May 28, 2009 at 11:11pm

Need Help! Read all about it in Homebuying 101!If you are ready to purchase your first home, I have compiled a few things that you should know before making that big purchase. Owning your own home is great but there are lots of things you will need to consider. Here is your guide to home ownership!1. Can you commit!If you can't commit to remaining in one place for at least a few years, then owning is probably not for you, at least not yet. Make sure that you are ready to settle down. If you are married or single, you can purchase a home. You just need to make sure that you are ready financially and mentally.2. Pay off your debt!Since you most likely will need to get a mortgage to buy a house, you must make sure your credit history is as clean as possible. Be sure to obtain copies of your credit report. Make sure the facts are correct, and fix any problems you discover. This could be the difference between you owning and renting.3. Find a house within your price range!The rule of thumb is that you can buy housing that runs about two-and-one-half times your annual salary. But you'll do better if you use a mortgage calculator. You can find them online. If you input the information, it will tell you exactly how much house you can afford for your salary.4. Qualifying for a loan!There are a variety of public and private lenders who, if you qualify, offer low-interest mortgages that require a down payment as small as 5 percent of the purchase price.5. Search wisely!Be sure that you find a great area that has everything you need nearby. If you are a parent, make sure you find an area with great schools. It would be wise to go online and do research about the area you are looking into. As a parent, this is a very important component in searching for the perfect home.6. Seek the help of a professional!Even though the Internet gives buyers unprecedented access to home listings, most new buyer, you can also use a professional agent. Start to ask friends and family for great leads on someone you would be able to trust to help you out. Look for an exclusive buyer agent, if possible, who will have your interests at heart and can help you with strategies during the bidding process.7. Choosing a mortgage!When picking a mortgage, you usually have the option of paying additional points -- a portion of the interest that you pay at closing -- in exchange for a lower interest rate. If you stay in the house for a long time -- say three to five years or more -- it's usually a better deal to take the points. The lower interest rate will save you more in the long run.8. Get pre-approved!Getting pre-approved will you save yourself the grief of looking at houses you can't afford and put you in a better position to make a serious offer when you do find the right house. Not to be confused with pre-qualification, which is based on a cursory review of your finances, pre-approval from a lender is based on your actual income, debt and credit history.To get professional advice and more information on purchasing a home call Vision Investment Corporation at 877-799-0820! Feel Free to visit the website at www.visioninvestmentcorp.comAnnetta Powell

How do you market "for free" on the web?

Posted by Jeanette Toomer on May 28, 2009 at 10:52pm

I'd love to learn more about marketing my education training business on the web. If you have ideas, contacts or suggestions, let me know. Must be free or very low-cost. Jeanette at www.dramadiscoveryandlearning.com

For a Limited Time...Free Shipping

Posted by Diane Martin on May 28, 2009 at 9:45pm

Hello Friends,For a limited time, I am offering free shipping (within the U.S.) on the purchase of any one of my novels.To get an autographed copy, please visit my website at:http://dimartin01.books.officelive.comReader Review:Making Choices and Keeping Secrets Can Be DeadlyIn Autumn Leaves, author Diane Martin, introduced readers to a unique and interesting story of forbidden love, secrets, revenge, and choices. Claire thought she had everything she wanted – she was in love with the man of her dreams and she had a great best friend. Yet, there was still something missing. After being introduced to Autumn, a high school friend of her boyfriend, Claire began to experience desires that she never felt before. Claire began to make choices that affected her relationship with her boyfriend. She also began to keep secrets and tell lies that became deadly to them all.Martin has written a very sensitive story. Readers will become involved in the lives of the characters as they made choices that affect everyone. Many of the topics discussed are considered taboo despite being considered mainstream by others. Martin discusses the consequences and options that character Claire had to face and the impact her choices had on her everyday life. I found the book to be very entertaining and l literally dropped my jaw when I got to the end. This book is a must read for anyone that likes drama mixed with some mystery.- Priscilla C. Johnson

Note: this page contains paid content.

Note: this page contains paid content.

Note: this page contains paid content.

Note: this page contains paid content.