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"A good basic selling idea, involvement and relevancy,
of course, are as important as ever, but in the advertising
din of today, unless you make yourself noticed and believed,
you ain't got nothin'."

- Leo Burnett

Anatomy of a Master Idea Monger

By Michael Masterson

Have you seen the most recent infomercial by Kevin Trudeau? It's the one in which he's selling The Weight Loss Cure.

If you can catch it on TV, check it out. It can teach you a lot about selling ideas.

This guy has been very successful on TV. He turned his last book on natural health into a best-seller through infomercials. I've been watching him for a while, trying to figure out what he's doing, and I have some ideas about how he's been so successful.

One of the most interesting things is that he has - as far as I know - no qualifications whatsoever in the health field. He's not a doctor. Not a nutritionist. He doesn't even have a degree in health sciences. But he knows how to sell his message. He does some of the things we have always said are key to being successful in the health business, and he does them very well.

Let's start with the basics. In promoting his books, Trudeau observes the following principles that we have advocated in past ETR issues, in AWAI's Accelerated Program for Six-Figure Copywriting, and in ETR's Direct Marketing Masters Edition program.

Sell only one idea at a time.

Make that idea attractive by associating it with a desired benefit.

Make that benefit believable.

Provide additional benefits and prove them.

Respect the structure of a persuasive argument.

Emphasize the unique selling proposition (USP).

Repeat the main benefit.

Sell Only One Idea at a Time

In his Weight Loss Cure infomercial, Trudeau posits the idea that obesity is caused not by overeating or even by eating the wrong kind of food, but by a simple glandular dysfunction. Some people have it, and they stay fat no matter how hard they try to lose weight. Other people don't, and they are skinny no matter what they eat.

Make That Idea Attractive

Losing weight is simple and easy. All you have to do is take a pill that will put your dysfunctional gland back in working order.

Make That Benefit Believable

Trudeau proves his claim with charts showing how many pounds people have lost following this "weight-loss cure." The effect of seeing chart after chart has the effect of overcoming skepticism, even though none of that data has been documented. And he is good at coming across as honest, earnest, and reasonable. He wasn't always this way, but his TV charisma has increased with experience. Watch the infomercial and see if you aren't charmed by him.

Provide Additional Benefits and Prove Them

Not only does Trudeau hold the "secret" to fast and easy weight loss, but once you start using his system, you will keep losing weight and never, ever become fat again. This very desirable additional benefit is proven by Trudeau's own experience. After he hit his goal of getting to 196, he dropped another 10 pounds even though he wasn't even trying anymore!

Respect the Structure of a Persuasive Argument

Trudeau creates sympathy first by saying, "If you are fat, you have to know this: It is not your fault." Then he makes a promise his prospects want to hear: "You will be able to lose weight quickly, easily, and automatically without dieting. The pounds will come off the moment you start the program. You won't be hungry, because you will be able to eat whatever you want."

Only after he's allowed the prospect customer to imagine how great his new life will be does Trudeau bring in logic and science to back up his claims.

Emphasize a USP

Repeatedly, Trudeau says: "There has never, ever been a diet solution like this before." Nothing else, he says, has ever approached obesity by treating the hypothalamus gland. "You may have tried the Zone or Atkins or low-carb or low-fat," he says, "but none of them worked for you, because none of them attacked the problem."

Repeat the Main Benefit

Over and over, Trudeau reminds the viewer that the solution to losing weight is to take a little pill. No work. No deprivation. You don't have to worry about eating or exercise or anything else. Just pop the pill.

Other Tricks

He also keeps saying: "I don't sell this thing..." - and yet he sells a book about it. And if you buy the one book, he throws in all his other books with it. Four books for the cost of one, an overwhelmingly strong close.

What I love about Trudeau's weight-loss-cure book (and now that I think about it, this is also true of his last book) is that he himself isn't a tipping-point thinker. None of these ideas were developed by him. He's just a salesman who can recognize a tipping-point idea when he sees it.

And, boy, can he sell it!

He is a marketer who found a great product and wrote a book about it, and is now turning that book into a best-seller. And if you could find some way to do what he's doing, you could very likely turn your own product into a best-seller as well. Here's what you should be thinking about:

What would it mean to you if you had a license to steal the best tipping-point ideas out there, simply by "discovering" them, getting excited about them, and selling them to your customers?

If you are already in the infomercial business, how does your presentation compare to Trudeau's in terms of persuasiveness? And if you admit (as you should) that your presentation is weak by comparison, what are the elements that make his infomercials work so well?

How much of your creative time is spent generating tipping-point ideas? How much of your money? What is your process for discovering or producing them?

Do your products have strong USPs? Are they desirable and easy to understand?

Is there a place in your business for a brilliant salesperson, even if he isn't a qualified expert?

Kevin Trudeau is an idea monger like I've never seen, and you would do yourself a favor to take a page from his book on selling.

This article appears courtesy of Early To Rise, the Internet’s most popular health, wealth, and success e-zine. For a complimentary subscription, visit http://www.earlytorise.com.

=======================================

Audio books to improve your mind

It's indeed incredible that not many people pay a great deal of attention to what gets into their minds.

You see, the mind is the single most important factor in determining who you are and what you do as an individual.

If your mind is positive and creative, you can become all you ever dream of becoming.

Most of the highly successful people you see in the news today took a great deal of time to work on improving their minds.

On the other hand, if your mind is negative and inactive, it's very likely you won't amount to anything in life. Analyzing the lives of some of the most notorious people in the world would reveal that they always fed their minds with negative thoughts.

The question that obviously comes to play here is - are we born with positive or negative minds?

I will quickly and firmly say NO to both! We are born into an environment that will influence us but ultimately we have the CHOICE what to feed our minds.

We develop our minds by what we put into it. If we are continually putting negative information into our minds, this results to negative thoughts and ultimately negative actions.

So, if you want the opposite creative thoughts, it is pertinent to always get the right kind of information into your mind.

The most common way to do this is by reading the right kinds of books.

Sadly, because of the great demand on our time, only few people still read lots of books, especially after college.

We mostly only have time to read the newspapers and magazines. And guess what? Most newspapers only end up giving us bad news that further increase our negative state of mind.

If you want to really get positive and helpful information, you need to read books that contain such information.

Thankfully with the advent and popularity of audio books, anyone can get the right information into his or her mind without having to "read".

You can enjoy the benefits of audio books while exercising, commuting to and from your work, etc.

For those who don't know exactly the audio books to go for, below are some of the best audio books to improve your mind.

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INTRODUCTION to YOGA

When one mentions “yoga”, many images may be conjured up. Perhaps you get an image of flower children from the 60’s sitting in a circle with their legs in impossible positions chanting “Ohm” around a huge candle in a poorly lit room. Yoga is an ancient art that has been practiced for centuries. Over the years, it has risen in popularity as a way to stay fit, get in touch with one’s inner self, and keep a balance of sanity in a sometimes insane world.

While yoga did come to popularity in the 60’s with Maharishi Mahesh Yogi who popularized Transcendental Meditation (TM), because he was associated with the Beatles, yoga practitioners have brought the ancient practice to the forefront of wellness in recent years.

Many scholars believe that yoga dates back over 5,000 years to the beginning of human civilization. Scholars believe that yoga grew out of Stone Age Shamanism, because of the cultural similarities between Modern Hinduism and Mehrgarh, a neolithic settlement (in what is now Afghanistan). In fact, much of Hindu ideas, rituals and symbols of today appear to have their roots in this shamanistic culture of Mehrgahr.

Early Yoga and archaic shamanism had much in common as both sought to transcend the human condition. The primary goal of shamanism was to heal members of the community and act as religious mediators. Archaic Yoga was also community oriented, as it attempted to discern the cosmic order through inner vision, then to apply that order to daily living. Later, Yoga evolved into a more inward experience, and Yogis focused on their individual enlightenment and salvation.

Yoga is the most diversified spiritual practice in the world. Crossing over many cultures (including Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and the West), Yoga also extends over multiple languages such as Hindi, Tibetan, Bengali, Sanskrit, Tamil, Prakit, Marathi and Pali. The Yogic tradition continues to proliferate and spread its message of peace to this very day.

There are many different places that offer yoga classes – gyms, wellness centres, even the local YMCA. But you don’t have to join a class to practice yoga. It is just as easily done in your home or even at your desk while at work. Yoga can help bring you inner peace when you are stressed out. It can even help relieve the pain of headaches, backaches, and menstrual cramps.

As studies continue to reveal yoga's many health benefits, this centuries-old Eastern philosophy is fast becoming the new fitness soul mate for workout enthusiasts. Contemporary devotees range from high-powered execs trying to keep hearts beating on a healthy note to image-conscious Hollywood stars striving for sleek physiques. Even prominent athletes are adding yoga to their training regime to develop balanced, injury-free muscles and spines, for example in today’s news;

Ricky Williams – former NFL star

Steinberg said Williams has been teaching yoga in California since returning from Canada last December.

"He's told me that his interest in eastern philosophy has overcome his desire for mind-altering substances and has given him another outlet," Steinberg said. "He's in outstanding shape and he hasn't taken a lot of hits for a running back. I think he's still at the top of his game."

Yet to applaud yoga for its physical benefits alone would only diminish what this entire system has to offer as a whole. By practicing yoga on a regular basis, you may be surprised to find that you're building much more than a strong, flexible body.

Initially, the sole purpose of practicing yoga was to experience spiritual enlightenment. In Sanskrit (the ancient language of India), yoga translates as "yoke" or "union," describing the integration of mind and body to create a greater connection with one's own pure, essential nature.

Classes that have gained popularity in Europe usually teach one of the many types of hatha yoga, a physical discipline which focuses mainly on asanas (postures) and breath work in order to prepare the body for spiritual pursuits.

Through yoga and meditation, you could come to a new level of enlightenment with your personal life and enhance the quality of your existence.

No longer is yoga a mysterious phenomenon. It is now simply a way to keep you healthy and aligned.

15 ‘What If’s…’ to change my day

Everybody in the world smiled at just one more person.

That would be 6 billion more smiles each and every day, do you think that would make the world a brighter place?!

Now what about another two smiles…

I saved just one pound towards those Christmas

presents, holidays, whatever.

Each year I would have an extra £365.

Now what if I were to save £2…

Aliens attacked the world.

Do you think that we all might pull together and forget our differences as in the case of the tsunami?

Now what if we do not wait until aliens attack the world…

I thought that whatever project I undertook I could

not fail to complete.

What sort of projects would I be thinking of? If I really could not fail, wouldn’t I reach for the

Heavens?

I watched half an hours less television and gave the

attention to the family, exercise, special project or

whatever.

That would be an extra week per year.

Now what if I were to watch one hour less…

I woke up half an hour earlier than normal.

If I done this every day, that would be an extra week per year awake.

If I earn £200 per week then there is the chance to enjoy a few more little luxuries…

I looked upon my work as a return of service for the gifts that I have received.

Would this help me to view my occupation in a

different way?

I contemplated my body as something miraculous that no amount of money, any scientist or philosopher can even get near to explaining.

Would I take care of it in a different way?

I was to view the world as a spectator rather than someone to whom everything happens.

Would I still feel the same intensity about what

was going on?

I considered myself extremely privileged to be

born a human being, with the opportunities that come

because of the special abilities that we have.

I looked upon problems as challenges that I am more

than able to meet if I apply myself to them.

I chose to change negative thoughts that enter my head into positive ones that lift my spirits.

Would I then be better company?

I knew that the thoughts that circulate in my head, if mixed with emotion, would one day be the

physical circumstances that I am faced with.

What thoughts would I choose to dwell on?

The old saying that what goes around comes around is true.

What would I choose to go with in order to receive

back?

I view my emotions and check to see if they are being used to work for my highest good, knowing that I have full control over them.

About the author – Graham Hodgson is a 46 year old with the majority of his working life spent in the public sector. He is now concentrating on Internet Marketing with several sites, the most recent being a comprehensive availability of downloadable audio books at www.we-r-audiobooks.com.

End Your Fear Of Failure
by Lori Prokop

How to Heal Abuse
http://www.howtohealabuse.com/

It is dangerous to have your own fears working against you, especially the fear of failure or success. Either can cause you to freeze and create the situation you fear, even causing failure to thrive.

Everyone is going to fall short or experience failure. The important question is not "did you experience failure?" Rather the important question is "how did you react to the failure?"

Coming up short of a desired outcome can be a great teacher. Much of what people have learned, which has been the key to success, has come from overcoming adversity. Mistakes help us discover how not to do a thing. Success is also a great teacher, showing us how to do a thing.

It is important to see success and failure equal in terms of the lessons both bring.

I was being interviewed as an expert for a book on success. The author asked, "Lori Prokop, how do great leaders handle success?"

I replied, "Great leaders are not as devastated by failure or as elated by successes. They take both in stride knowing they will continue to experience both as they move forward. They are more excited by the insights and knowledge they master as a result of both success and failure."

Great accomplishments can launch from failure. But if you stop because of failure, you will experience that failure forever.

When you experience failure, and you will, step back and in a non-judgmental manner take a good look at it.

I recommend the words of a great mentor of mine, Ted Nicholas, when he advised me, "Lori Prokop, say these incredibly powerful words, 'I forgive myself and others for mistakes of the past.'"

I also suggest to you what another great teacher said, "Lori Prokop, you cannot look rationally at the equation or steps which lead to any outcome until you have healed the negative or hurtful emotions attached."

As you are healing regarding the outcome, ask yourself why this path failed. When you have forgiven yourself and others for mistakes of the past (even if the past is just moments ago), you can look at the situation wiser, more competent and with the sense that failure is only temporary and success is inevitable.

---
Lori Prokop is creator of leading edge workshops on creating what you want in your life. While presenting workshops nationwide, she has created more than 300 books, CDs and DVDs. Her internationally acclaimed web site is www.howtohealabuse.com Lori offers systems that answer people's questions about the meaning of their lives, how to create what you want in your life and helps resolve the struggle between good and evil.

>> Article Source: http://www.Marketing-Seek.com

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