A Brief Examination of Past Learning Games, Wii Educational Games, and the Lack of “End Bosses”

A long time ago, someone decided that learning games – from the Commodore 64 all the way through to Wii educational games, today – don’t need levels, leveling, or the standard video game staple: the end boss. This needs to change.

From MathBlaster! on the Amiga to BrainAge on the DS, developers have ignored turning their games into recognizable video games by skipping this key element. It stems from a nasty beginning: laziness and tradition. Back in the 80s and early 90s, console video game developers enjoyed a relative monopoly. You could choose Sega, or you could choose Nintendo. Parents, desperate to attempt to shoehorn learning into their children’s gaming, would buy pretty much anything that promised to teach while it entertained. Unfortunately, some of that attitude survives to taint our Wii educational games to this day.

The one exception, prior to the Wii educational games era (around the turn of the millennium), “The Typing of the Dead,” was well-received by critics, parents (for the most part!), and gamers. It turned a classic arcade shooter, “House of the Dead,” into a typing instructor. Players are faced with “shooting” hordes of zombies by typing words that appear on-screen. The faster and more accurately you type, the faster and more accurately you “shoot” the zombies. The game progressed exactly the same as its arcade original, advancing through a house infested with all kinds of monsters. Each level was capped off with an end-of-stage boss, completing the disguise and fulfilling the educational game’s promise.

What “Typing of the Dead” did was to treat what might normally be a dry, boring subject – learning to type on a keyboard – and approach it from a gamer’s perspective. Speed and accuracy, inherent to the success of most typical video games, are also keys to typing. Why not approach Wii educational games in this same way? Why not include some of the tropes of our favorite games (beyond simply attaching a favorite character as your “coach,” a la “Mario Teaches X”)? With all the peripherals available, with all the casual gamers the Wii attracts, why not make games… Games? Why march on with this ugly procession of cartoon letters and animated math figures?

These boring educational games were and are branded by kids, with few exceptions, lifeless drags to be suffered through while mom and dad look on. There was so little in-game progression, little to look forward to or train for, just an endless succession of math problems or spelling questions. Game producers knew they needed to sink precious little money in these games, so long as their cover art included math symbols and “learning!” or “educational!” somewhere prominent. Few Wii educational games have broken from this sad beginning, but there’s a bit of hope.

Today, we’re seeing some serious innovation in Wii educational games. Finally, we’re seeing levels. We’re seeing progression and high-scores, instrumental in sparking gamers’ competitive nature. Some games have taken advantage of the Wii’s unique control design and peripheral-saturation by including a physical element to learning. Recent games have included exercise in their educational game for the Wii. Games track your progression and offer encouragement in the form of virtual coaches. Others have included platforming elements, adventure motifs, and other interesting ways to help gamers enjoy learning.

Still, though – a ten-year-old game is the single standing example of an educational game that actually includes the use of “end bosses.” The game industry, gamers, and parents would all do well to recognize the lack of “end boss” opponents in educational Wii games. By including stages and end bosses, as well as all of the recent innovations, we will see a huge improvement in educational video games. We must overcome this legacy of mediocrity. Let’s make our games fun again. Let’s make our video games… games!

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Dreaming of Starting a Home Based Business?

There are many reasons that people choose to go it alone and start a home based business. One of them is that the appeal of being your own boss, it gives you the freedom and independence you’ve always wished for. Running your own business can be a dream come true, yet, if you are not prepared then before you know it it can turn out to be a real nightmare. Therefore, you need to be keenly aware of the important challenges that you will have to face.

Unique Challenges

Starting a home based business is certainly not easy. Indeed, it can be a very risky proposition, and so you’ll need to do your homework and remain ever alert to not only the possible pitfalls, but also the possible opportunities that may arise. As well as that, you’re going to need to be prepared for an income that is not-so-steady as you would perhaps like it to be, certainly in the beginning of your venture.

In order to manage these unique challenges, you’re going to need to do lots of advance planning, and it will help you immensely if you have the support of your friends and family. This is because things may not go as well as you’d hoped, and you could find yourself having to work all hours of the day just to break even. Such hard work and stress can easily strain your personal relationships and so you’ll need to be ready for this.

Running a business from home also requires a settled working environment that is conductive to you accomplishing the work that needs to be done. You’ll need to prepare an environment that is free from interruptions and noise.

Make a Plan for your Business

An old adage says that “If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail”, and this holds especially true with running your own business. The majority of new businesses don’t actually survive, and to avoid this disaster and make your business prosper you are going to need an excellent business plan.

One of the best, least risky things you could do is to take advantage of a home based business opportunity such as the one offered by One24. Alternatively, if you already have a business niche in mind, you’ll need to research very carefully, designate who your potential customers are and prepare a back up plan in case something goes wrong.

Finally, don’t go over-extending yourself. Starting a home based business, especially if you go it alone, can be fraught with danger. Despite the temptations, don’t go throwing everything you have into it. You should save a contingency fund in case things do go pear-shaped.

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High Performance Home Based Business

Most Home Based Businesses have a major problem making the cut to a High Performance Home Based Business because of the lack of focus drive and commitment needed to perform at a high level, not having a since of passion for the business or the industry in general will show up in the businesses over all performance which will show up negatively on the income and the cash flow of that business in the long run, if not the short term. Having the mindset of just making some money or making a fast buck is one of the biggest causes of having a stagnate lifeless business, which is all do to the person(s) or individuals running that business without the proper business foundation.In the past ten years or so Home Based Businesses have emerged that have out-preformed Some mid to large businesses which defies all reasonable expectations, these High Performance Home Based Businesses even surprised themselves, what is the cornerstone of this type of success? Well it’s the high level of commitment that these groups bring to the table like any great group or team that performs at a high performing level they all have an a extremely high level or degree of commitment for the group as well as the individuals on in the group. Also what is another very key component is a small number of members like 1-12 members this structure is very manageable and keeps the team very closely knitted which important to perform at a high level.A High Performance Home Based Business is no different then a top notch sports team you can have one great player but without the others achieving at a high level or at least supporting and holding their own part of the deal, that team will be mediocre at best, the same goes for the Home Base Business you can have a master mind business person with all of the answers but without a team to help that person pull it off it won’t reach it’s full potential in terms of a business ventureHaving a system is a very integral part of a High Performance Home Based Business, also each part of the business should be segmented, and the best skilled person or individual should be chosen for that task, or one that is best suited to develop those skills. The work load must be evenly parsed so not to put a strain on anyone partner. Lastly setting the rules that should be followed by all when making decisions that effect the performance of the business, using these building blocks pave the way to achieving the goal of having a High Performance Home Base Business.

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Is a Home Based Business Right For You? 6 Pros and Cons to Consider

Given today’s frightening and faltering economy, more and more people are losing their jobs. In addition to this a lot of people are fearful that they might lose their job. Given these uncertain times, more people than ever are reportedly considering firing their boss and becoming their own. This is a very big decision, and one that most people simply cannot afford to take lightly. Especially given that most new businesses fail within their first five years. There seem to be as many obstacles as there are rewards, and it takes a tremendous amount of commitment if one is to make a go of owning their own business.Due to the costs of owning a traditional, brick and mortar business this article will only address some things to consider when looking at home-based business opportunities. With a home-based business, one doesn’t have the conventional start-up costs of purchasing, leasing or renting commercial space; no insurance; no inventory, etc. You can literally walk down the hall from your bedroom to your office and begin being productive.I believe that the essential elements of a truly viable home-based business are these: finding one that fits with your values; has a proven track record; has a top-tier product line with generous compensation; and has a top-rated, all-inclusive system in place that you can follow – hopefully with training, support and a community of other like-minded entrepreneurs with whom you can mastermind and network.Some key considerations include:Pros:· No Commute or Office Politics
· Time and Money Freedom; Autonomy and Independence
· Break Out of the Wage System and Into the Profit System
· Opportunities are Limited Only by You
· You Gain the Tax Advantages of Being an Owner vs. Employee
· Learning and Applying New Skills and Increasing Your Value to OthersCons:· Some Investment Capital or Start-up Costs are required
· There are Real Risks Involved
· The Responsibility Rests With You
· Greater Exposure and Need for Asset Protection
· You Must be Disciplined, Motivated and a Self-starter
· Can Be Isolating Without a CommunityIt is extremely important to do your due diligence when evaluating the various opportunities available to you. Unfortunately, I have heard the stories of several conscientious individuals who got involved with something that either wasn’t legitimate, or didn’t offer any real training or support. For most of us who entered into the home-based business arena as a “newbie,” having a personal mentor or being part of a supportive network was a very important component of our success.There are other, more personal pros and cons you’ll no doubt want to seriously think about when trying to determine whether or not some type of home-based business opportunity might be right for you. Is this the right time? Can we afford to do it? Can we afford not to do it? Hopefully, the list stated above will be helpful to you in your process, and may raise other important questions for you to explore.Owning a home-based business is not for everyone. Yet, for many it is ideal. I have heard people refer to the experience of having their own home-based business in these ways: “Finding this opportunity was an answer to prayer;” “The one thing in my life I’ve done right;” and “Even though it was scary and took longer than I thought it would to make money, it’s the best decision I’ve ever made.”Is a home-based business right for you? Only you can make that determination for yourself and your family. I do encourage you to consider the possibility. Who knows, it could be the best decision you’ll ever make.

How to Avoid Being Targeted by the IRS in Your Home-Based Business!

If you run a home-based business, you might be confused about what you can and cannot deduct as reasonable expenses. Some home-based businesses make critical mistakes and are red-flagged by the Internal Revenue Service. However, with a little guidance, you can start a business that will stay under the radar and keep you out of hot water:Understand home office deductions. While you don’t have to have a separate room as a home office, the area you use must be used exclusively for conducting business. This includes a place where you meet clients, patients, or customers. You can also claim a home office deduction if you store inventory for your business. In the strictest sense of the word, a home office cannot include personal items, such as personal mail, your children’s toys, etc.Incorporate your business. The IRS keeps an eye on home-based businesses. In fact, sole proprietorships, especially those that are home based business owners, are more frequently audited than corporations. One tactic that you can use to decrease your chance of an audit is to incorporate (form an LLC or corporation) your business. Incorporated businesses are audited far less frequently than home-based businesses. The IRS is more likely to question deductions in a home environment than a corporate setting.Keep separate bank accounts for personal and business use. One of the biggest mistakes that small businesses make is to combine both personal and business expenses. Keep separate accounts for personal and business use. In case of an audit, it’s much easier to refer to an account that is used for one purpose than to wade through 12 months of personal and business expenses and attempt to separate them.Deductions should be reasonable for your business. Avoid extravagant deductions. Another red flag for you home business is when the deductions are high in comparison to your income or the industry norm. Obviously, you’ll have deductions, but over-the-top claims will catch the eye of the IRS. If you have large deductions, keep the proof on file for at least three years.Use specific amounts. Most costs don’t end in rounded numbers. Be specific. Rounded numbers imply estimates, and this could flag your business for an audit. Also, if you believe that a deduction will flag you for an audit, attach proof to substantiate your claim.File online. Math errors are another audit magnet. While one small error probably won’t create a problem, multiple errors will most likely bring attention to your business. When you file online, the software will do the math for you, eliminating the margin of error.Don’t underreport earnings. Keep in mind that in this technological age, the IRS can easily find your earnings. Don’t be tempted to underreport your income, or you could find yourself at the losing end of an audit.Run your business like a business, not a hobby! Use some type of accounting software to track your monthly revenue and expenses so you can track your profit and loss. Running your business based upon your online checking account balance and “let’s just see how it goes,” sounds more like a hobby to the IRS vs. a real business.Operating a home-based venture is a rewarding experience and doesn’t have to create IRS headaches. Know the tax laws, keep good records, and your home business will thrive. For more information about what you can and cannot deduct as a business expense, go to the Internal Revenue website and download Publication 587: Business Use of Your Home.

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Real Estate Investing In Southern Oregon – What Makes A Good Income Property?

Real estate has made more people independently wealthy than any other type of investment, but it is not a venture to be taken lightly. There are many things that anyone starting a rental business should know before they purchase their first investment property. Specifically, one needs to know Landlord/Tenant, tax, discrimination, and accounting laws – to name a few. An investor should also know what makes a property a good investment. Despite what most people think it is not all about how much the rent is. There are many factors involved in figuring out what to invest in and where to invest.First, you need to decide what type of property you want to invest in (e.g. land, commercial, residential, etc). The focus of this article is residential investments. Residential properties are defined as single family homes, duplexes, and multi-plexes (even though structures with over four units are considered commercial property).Second, you will need to figure out the location you want to invest in. This can be as simple as staying close to home or having a property you can manage at a place you vacation or visit. By investing at a location you vacation or visit, you can thereby make it possible to deduct your travel expenses from taxes. One might also look for locations which are in high demand, growing communities, developing areas, and places speculated to appreciate (keep in mind this could be a risky way to invest).Now you need to decide how you want to invest. Do you want to buy properties below market value, fix them up, and flip them for a profit, or do you want to buy rental property and build a real estate investment portfolio? With the number of foreclosures on the market this may seem like a no-brainer; but there is still a lot speculation. Property flipping is riskier and there are additional expenses involved such as a higher rate of capital gains referred to as short term capital gains and there is no way to defer this tax or avoid it. This type of real estate investing could be compared to day trading. It has the potential to make a lot of money quick, but it also has the potential to lose a lot of money quick. This is not for the inexperienced investor. It is not a good, initial secure base to build your investment business on.After considering all of the above, let’s say you’ve decided to invest in rental property. You’ve determined the rental property will be residential and close to home. You need to decide which property will give you the best wealth building potential. This will depend on what and where you currently invest your investment dollar, what your current income is, how you want to build your real estate portfolio, your age and/ or time left in which you want invest, and what your future plans and needs are. You will also need to determine if you want to have a cash flow income or build wealth.Looking for the Right Investment PropertyLook for property with a good rate of return. A good rate of return can be figured in many different ways. Most experienced investors do a quick calculation, called a Gross Rent Multiplier (GRM), or capitalization Rate (Cap Rate).
The GRM is figured by dividing the purchase price by the monthly rent. A good GRM should be less than 150 (the lower the better). This is not the most efficient way to base your decision.

The Cap Rate is another quick way to determine rate of return. This is figured by taking the net property income and dividing it by the purchase property. A good Cap Rate is 8%. The Cap Rate can be compared to the interest rate you earn on money in a savings account. If the Cap rate were only 4%, you would probably be better off putting your money in a CD at your bank (or something similar). Using the Cap Rate is a slightly better way to base your investment decision because you are taking into account what the expenses are.

These two ways of figuring a good rate of return are helpful in narrowing the field of available properties. When you are ready to decide which property would be best to buy, a complete investment analysis is recommended. A complete investment analysis will figure out your cash flow, estimate your tax savings, estimate a holding period (to maximize your rate of return on your cash invested), and it will take everything into account (even a conservative appreciation rate).Cash Flow vs. Build WealthIf you want a property that is good cash flow, then you will be looking at something different than property which will build wealth.
Cash flow property offers very little tax shelter or depreciation benefits. You will want to pay off any debt service (loan) for the property as quickly as possible to build that cash flow up. The sooner you pay off the loan the better the cash flow. Why? Because you can eliminate the expense of interest. You will not want to sell or exchange this property until you are ready to cash out. This is an OK way to invest in real estate if you are looking to buy a job, but you are not putting your invested money to work for you very well.

Building wealth property offers a way to leveraging your investment. You will want to look for properties in which you use as little of your own cash as possible. When you have 20% – 30% equity either through appreciation or debt reduction, you should strongly consider exchanging the property into another and take that equity out to invest into something else. One should always try to make money with other people’s money (bank Money) because it is less expensive than using your own. You will not likely keep any property for more than 10 years. It is very likely you should be looking at an exchange sometime around five years, depending on whether or not the real estate market is an average market.

With the current market, you should plan on a longer holding period. If you have had a property more than three or four years, with the market here in Oregon like it was, you should be looking at exchanging into another property. The investment analysis will show you the difference of just having a great cash flow and having an OK cash flow while being leveraged to maximize your wealth building strategy.

There are risks involved with any type of investing. Generally the faster you can make money on an investment, there is an equal and opposite, the faster you can loose it. It is said that if you are going to play the stock market and you are not an experienced trader, you should either do it with money you don’t and won’t need, because you have a better chance of losing it or plan to leave the money in that investment for the long term, through the highs and lows of the market. This same philosophy applies in real estate investing, but even more so, because real estate is not a liquid investment like stocks, bonds, and mutual funds.You might also plan on an exit strategy to cash out and minimize the tax liability. When it is getting close to time to cash out, you will want to be looking to exchange several smaller properties into a larger one you can eventually move into. Live in it for at least two of five years, but only after you have rented it out for at least one year. If a property is your primary residence for at least two of the last five years owned, you will no longer have to pay a capital gains tax when you sell the property. This property won’t necessarily have a good rate of return from the rental income, but it will save you on your tax liability. You can do this once per year as long as you occupied the property as your primary residence for at least two of the last five years owned.Real estate investing should be an unemotional decision; one that is based on numbers, location and condition. It should be planned for and plans should be considered for the future. There are many pit falls involved with real estate in general, and even more with rental property. Invest wisely and always use a good real estate professional, one who knows the market and what the difference between a good investment and a bad one. Not using a real estate professional can be like stepping over dollars to save dimes nickels and pennies and most wise investors realize that.

Property Management – Do it Yourself Or Hire a Professional

Property management is a such a critical part of the real estate investing equation that it could very well mean the difference between a profitable (or positive cash flow) situation on a well leveraged property and significant negative cash flow. So, with a decision that is that important, the question is: do you leave it to the professionals or do you only trust yourself to do the best job?

Well, having done property management myself and hired professional property managers to do it for me, I can tell you that there is no easy answer. In fact, if you pick the wrong property manager you may wish you did it yourself. The challenge is that you may be the wrong property manager.

A property manager needs to be able to follow a proven, written set of systems and checklists. If you’re not that type, I would suggest that you find some property management company that has good, well documented, proven systems for managing your properties and leave it to the experts.

Of course, if you’ve got access to some great written systems, like dealing with tenants during the previewing, application, screening, move in, tenancy and move out processes than property management might just be something for you.

I would encourage you to interview a few property managers–using the same interview questions for each–and then answer the same interview questions yourself and see which person you’d like managing your properties. If you find that you wouldn’t hire yourself as property manager then I would strongly suggest that you hire out the expertise that a professional property manager brings.

Secrets And Top-Tips Of Mail Order Advertising

Good Advertising creates more production, thus greater consumption, faster turnover and lower sales price per unit. To a great extent it determines the success or failure of the mail order operator!

When working up an advertising program remember that what is genuinely desirable to you may or may not appeal to the majority of your prospects!

Different types of merchandise or services demand completely different advertising media. Your ad must be built around the ADVANTAGES of the product and designed to APPEAL to the specific customers who will BENEFIT from your offer!

Since you MUST spend advertising dollars in order to make money in the mailorder business be sure you spend WISELY and with CONFIDENCE.

RETAIN all advertising information, brochures, sales letter, catalog, etc., you receive. USE THE IDEAS from this information as a guide in formulating your various advertising programs!

There are thousands of top mail order products to choose from, more than you can every use so choose the right ones for your programs!

If the product or service can’t stand the Truth do not advertise it…Don’t handle it! Truth in advertising is a must! Your FIRM NAME, preferable, should be SHORT, DESCRIPTIVE AND EASY TO REMEMBER!

When you find the item that is a mail order “HIT”, repeat your ads on the product in a number of magazines and other productive advertising media in order to PYRAMID YOUR PROFITS TO THE MAXIMUM!

Advertising cost divided by inquiries = Ad cost per inquiry! Advertising cost divided by orders = Ad cost per order! Orders received divided by readership = percent of response! Number of pieces mailed + by orders received = Percent of return!

Continuously use the simple formulas (above) so you will know who your advertising dollars are paying off!

Ad to find new Products: “Calling all manufacturers, importers and suppliers … We will feature and sell your new products in our catalog … Send your information, sample products and programs to…..!”

Test the position of your ads in the various Media!

Test one ad against another on the same offer!

Make your sales letters friendly, clear, simple and to the point!

Your potential customers are more interested in themselves than in your product, consequently your ads and sales letter must be directed toward their point of view and their self-interests! Make them want your product because it will benefit them or will do the job better for them!

Powerful attention getting words include: Free, Amazing, Weird, Odd, Strong, Rare, Big, Secret, Latest, Easy, Fortune, Now, New, How-to!

You must put yourself in the place of your prospects and know how they feel, think and react to your ads! If “you” were the customer would your ads persuade “you” to buy?

Your Ad must have a strong headline! It must tell the prospect what to do, such as: Order Now! Rush $5.00! Use order form and reply envelope! Act Now! Action words that urge the prospect to order. Explain with simple words JUST WHAT THEY WILL RECEIVE FOR THEIR MONEY! What the product will do for them. Use believable testimonials. Appeal to their reason and get their confidence, then use a powerful close. You can get the order!

Repetition is one of the secrets of making a lasting impression on the memory.

Use coupons in some of your ads!

Since Suspense is a strong force in advertising, consider entering the name of your product toward the end of your ad!

Most everyone wants prestige, confidence, money, security, advancement, leisure time, good health, popularity, less worry, happiness, success, more time, recognition, improvement, business ownership, independence, more knowledge, satisfaction, savings … Appeal to your prospects… use such appeals in your ads!

Quality, usefulness, reasonable price, up-to-date, and appealing to the sight are points to stress!

Make no misleading claims about your products.

Review the many ads presented in leading mail order sales magazines advertisers. Make note of the many attention getting words and phrases that catch your eye and cause you to read the rest of the ad! Use these same words in your own headlines!

With certain type products, consider turning the picture in your display ad upside down in order to attract attention from the ordinary … If handled properly, curiosity will sell!

Study the operation of other firms to get New Ideas for sales letters, methods of handling promotion, nature of offers and any other details which may be helpful!

Some programs require a good deal of literature in order to present all the facts necessary to sell a product! With this type of product you should first advertise for inquiries then send the full ammunition by direct mail. Write up a list of important reasons why a person should inquire about your offer. Use the strongest of these reasons in your ad!

If you usually pay cash for your ads, why not set up your own advertising agency as a secondary part of your business? Your registered business name as an advertising agency may qualify your business for the 15% discount when advertising in many publications!

Direct Mail, mailing lists, not ads, are used to obtain business. You determine what type of person would best buy your product; then compile, rent or buy name lists and proceed from there.

Lists compiled from business listings in the Yellow Pages are good for many kinds of mailorder products; however the names and addresses contained in the white pages seldom get any reasonable response. Ads in the daily paper are also generally poor for mail order products. Stay with the successful operators and advertise in the various media they use … stick with quality name lists in the right category for your products!

Unless your ad is read you will come out in the red! Make it clean, clear, concise, simple, professional and focused to the “right market” for the type of product being offered!

Always test! test! test! before spending large sums to promote or advertise your product … Be sure it is a hit then go all out!

Your ad must name the product, describe it, tell what it will do for the reader, how he can obtain it, and where to get it!

The best part of your advertisement is the words that can be read “between the lines”!

The direct mail packet consists of the sales letter, catalog, or brochure, order blank and the business reply envelope.

The ad must attract attention and create interest and desire before the customer will act!

Know your product well so that you can be specific, sincere and positive in writing your ads! Enthusiastic ads properly laid out will generally get enthusiastic results!

It is simple to record test results for your ads and programs in the various media. DO IT!

If your product has distinctive features or trademarks, use them over and over again in all your ads … Take advantage of the repeat psychology of keeping the name of your product constantly out in front of the Public Eye! If your product is familiar to the user, prove that it has better quality or price over competing items. Educate the consumer when presenting brand new items.

Prospects are usually more impressed by what others have to say about the product than by what the dealer tells them. Write to your customers, asking for their opinion on what your program or product has done for them and request permission to use their endorsement in some of your ads. Retain their letters as your authority for using their testimony.

Classified ads must have a great deal of thought and preparation! Use as few words as you can, but don’t leave out image building words that tell stories, paint pictures and compel action!

One way to increase the readership of your ad is by inviting persons to send in money saving ideas. Print the best idea each week, or month, and award the winner $$$… They will read the ad in each issue in order to find out if they won and if not to see if the winners ideas are better than the ones they submitted!

Many products can be readily adapted to radio & TV selling. This can be arranged whereby you pay the station a percentage of only what is sold. There are publications available which explain how to present such offers to the stations and lists of stations that supposedly operate on this basis. You can locate such firms by a search at your local library or through salesmen and opportunity magazines….However; this method for selling mail order products is not readily available on a flexible basis, unless you have something really special.

You must be in a position to change your advertising approach with changing times and conditions. The First Paragraph of a sales letter must create attention and interest or the entire message will go to file 13!

The Second part, or body, of the letter must arouse desire by pointing out the advantages and describing the product, preferably in use, or in action and should state the price…or the entire message will wind up in file 13!

The Final Portion of your letter should strongly urge the prospect to act and tell him how to order or the entire message will go to file “13″!

You don’t have near the space for your message with classified and small display ads, as you do with the sales letter so unless they are well presented they may make a faster trip down the tube to file 13!

Always use TOP QUALITY letterheads, mailing materials and supplies…This is your BUSINESS IMAGE in mailorder!

It could be good policy to place your ads through a legitimate advertising agency…It costs no more than if you place your own. Before doing business, get full information about the agency, its services and rates.

Since you must get your message across in top form, in order to pull inquiries and get orders, the ideal ad made just for the particular item being for sale is another great secret for mail order profits….Many times just one little word will change a dead ad to one that pulls thousands of orders!

Since you do not have a “window display” to use for mailorder advertising you must either draw pictures or use picture words to describe your product. Prepare advertising copy so that your prospects can “visualize the product” in their mind and “see” themselves using it to good advantage.

The headline of your ad must be powerful enough to catch immediate attention.

Use words that emphasize your product or service at the beginning or end of sentences!

Another gimmick for obtaining name lists for nothing…An ad such as…”?BIG MAIL? Send 200 of your address labels and 50 cents. We will send to mailorder dealers, wholesalers, distributors, etc….!”

“Before and After” type ads get great response on certain products.

Test and compare with different worded ads on the same type of merchandise in the same media.

When advertising make your most important points first!

When you find a new product that has possibilities for mailorder, test it! Prepare an ad for a quick test in a magazine or in a paper with a fast closing date (time from date ad is received to date it is published). As your test prove out “HIT” that particular item hard and heavy in other publications!

Test various price levels for the same product.

Qualify your prospects with proper classified ads.

Get the prospects confidence by offering free samples, by allowing a full money-back guarantee, by building your business image without exaggeration, and by showing proof of satisfied users.

Use the P.S. in sales letters to gain added attention!

When using an illustration or picture of your product in an ad, have one that shows the product in use! Picture the merchandise in use giving the owner profit or pleasure thus generating a positive, confident “YES” attitude. Remember that a picture will often sell better than 10,000 words.

Command attention to your ads or mailing pieces by marginal sketches, cartoons, different size and type styles of various words and/or paragraphs…Take the monotony out of the ad!

Consider greater pulling power of colored ads on many kinds of products. Test for added response and sales, as balanced against the much higher printing costs for color! The use of borders, lines, etc., can enhance your ads but be certain they are not placed in such a way that they detract from your message.

Type is expressed by “points”. For example, one point equals 1/72 of an inch. A pica is 1/6 of an inch. Learn the various type styles and sizes. Use the right print in your ads to emphasize the best features of your product.

Don’t bore the reader; Keep the sakes letter to one page whenever possible.

Offer something extra or something free in order to get immediate action!

Test only one factor at a time in order to determine which “change” made the difference in the number of responses received from your ad!

By the end of the first month after receipt of the first response from your ad you should receive 60% of the return you are going to get from monthly magazines, 75% from weekly newspapers, 75% from direct mail, 80% from Sunday newspapers, 90% from daily papers and 100% from Radio or TV! Within 2 weeks…From magazines 20%; Weekly magazines 40%; Direct mail and Sunday papers 60%; Daily papers 75% and Radio and TV 90%. DON’T DEPEND ON SUCH STATISTICS!!!!! Response can vary drastically depending on many factors, including products offered, media used, season, price, economy, etc.!!!! Your ad should be repeated again and again, as long as it is bringing back a profit….After the saturation point is reached, pull the ad. Test it again in a few months. The classified ad is the best to use for testing. For fast results, newspapers can be tested periodically. Magazines with the greatest number of responses for the least cost per inquiry should have priority for your ads. Only tests can prove which are the best ads and media for your various offers!

Have a “Built-in” follow-up program when preparing your initial advertising and promotion materials!

Your ad must end with words that compel action…Ask for the order! Now! Don’t let the prospect put the offer aside or it will usually end up in file 13. Notice the many ads in the mailorder publications that close with action getting words and sentences. Use such ads to develop ideas for your own ads!

Use the personal touch in your sales letters! You must have a good mailing list for direct mail advertising. Your sales letter should be written as though you were talking in person to the reader. Read it out loud…Does it sound like talk or is it canned?

Offer mailing labels with personalized pictures, photos, or cartoon caricatures, at cost, in order to build name lists of mailorder buyers!

Choose the publications with the greatest pull for your particular ad…Determine the greatest circulation for every dollar spent…Is it better to advertise in a magazine with 10,000 readers at 20 cents per word, or pay $2.50 per word for one with 3,000,000 circulation? Even this must be tested. Perhaps the 10,000 readers are buyers of the type of offer you are promoting and will order more than the 3 million!

Determine the kind of person who reads the various publications and buy your space accordingly…Advertise ladies apparel in a media read by women, not in a science publication!

Publications which carry a large classified section generally produce good results. Be sure to advertise under the right classification for your order.

Don’t be afraid to ask for the order.

Take advantage of free advertising and publicity whenever & wherever available!

If practical for a given program, include a picture of yourself, your business building, or a photo of your product…This, of course pertains basically to direct mail programs or for display ads.

Your ad will fail if: The program you choose has already been worked to death: A number of dealers had an ad approximately the same as yours in the same publication; You are advertising an out of season product; Your price is not competitive; The offer wan not attractive; Your copy was poorly written, or it you advertised in the wring classification for the item being offered!

You generally get nothing but curiosity seekers with ill placed display ads.

“KEY” you ads in order to know what is the best way to spend your advertising dollars. Final sales volume, is the measurement of success or failure of your advertising programs!

Combine the best features of your product in preparing your ad. Not so much as to the physical characteristics but by the feeling and interest it generates in others!

Generally, you should $ ASK $ for the money in classified ads only when a small amount is required for the product! Do not expect to get good response from a high cost item asking for money with a small classified ad. Offer free details to get the inquiry first, then send your direct mail packet…Sell your low priced items direct from the classified or display ad!

Build and maintain your list!!!!

Remember….For us in the mail order industry, advertising is a must! We cannot reach success without it! We can’t operate successfully with it, unless we do it right! Advertising is second in importance, only to a high demand product at a reasonable price, but neither can win without the other…The day we stop advertising is the day we give up the mailorder business and go back to punching the old worn out time clock!!!!!!!

The Finer Points of Internet Auctions

WHAT IS A PENNY AUCTION?

Penny auctions have exploded in popularity with the massive growth of the internet. However, few people know the true origins of penny auctions.Beginnings actually stretch back to the Great Depression. Those were hard times for everyone, but even harder for farmers. Farmers struggled to bring in steady income because of droughts and crops not selling as well as they had previously. As a result, the banks would foreclose on the farmers who couldn’t keep up with their mortgage payments.

The banks weren’t satisfied with just repossessing the house, they wanted to raise as much capital as possible, so they resorted to selling off the possessions of the owners of the repossessed houses. There was not much the farmers could do about it so they began bidding ridiculously low prices, pennies, on the items while threatening others who dared to bid higher than a few pennies.

The auctions of today hardly resemble their tremulous beginnings. Being part of a penny auction today is exhilarating, fun, and addictive. It combines the selling format of auctioning with a little bit of chance factored in.Auctions are a game of strategy but also a game of luck.

The premise behind penny auctions is giving people the chance to win an item at a drastically reduced price.Auctions make that possible by spreading out the cost of the product among multiple bidders. In order for a person to take part in an auction, they must pay a set price for each bid. For example, if a person wanted to bid on a fifty dollar Amazon gift card then he would spend a dollar for each time a bid placed. If he ended up winning the gift card, then he would only have spent a few dollars for a fifty dollar gift card. Usually penny auctions sell bids in packages.

HOW PENNY AUCTIONS WORK!

The main foundation of penny auctions is the pay-per-bid format. It is the key that allows bidders to win items at the fraction of their retail value and allows the auction owners to keep their site profitable. Most y auction sites run on the same premise: people pay a set amount for each bid, whenever a person places a bid within the closing seconds of the auction time will be added, the last person left with a unique bid after the clocks runs out will win the item. There are a large variety of items that can be won, but they tend to be popular electronics or gift cards to popular stores.

There are two types of auctions: lowest unique bid auction and highest unique bid auction. Lowest unique auction sounds confusing but it is actually quite simple. A unique bid is when only one person has a bid at a certain price. Bids usually start at one penny, a bidder can then place a bid at two pennies. Until another bidder places a higher bid, the most recent bidder will be the lowest unique bid because that was the only bid at two cents and nobody bid higher. However, penny auctions generally don’t stop at one penny. It is not uncommon to find auctions that end up at a couple hundred dollars based on the popularity of the item being auctioned. However, the same principles apply for those auctions. Highest unique bid auctions follow the more traditional auction format such as eBay. The person with the highest bid at the end of the auction wins the item.

Auction site owners turn a profit by selling bids. Say twenty people are bidding on a ten dollar gift card at one dollar per bid, at the end of the auction if there were twenty bids placed in total then the site owner would have made twenty dollars with a ten dollar profit.Auctions do seem like a win-win situation:The site owner makes money while the bidder gets an item for dirt cheap. However, not everyone wins in penny auctions. The people who paid one dollar each bid but left with nothing to show for their investments will not be so happy.

HOW TO WIN!

Penny auction has a lot of chance mixed into it, but one can incorporate strategy that will help raise the chances of winning. Playing smart can make all the difference between gambling and auctioning.

The first crucial tip to winning penny auctions is to know how to manage your bids. Your goal should be to win as much as possible without spending a ton of money buying bids. Managing your bids means that you should already know how much you are willing to risk in order to win an item. The amount of capital you are willing to risk will determine how many bids you can use. Once you know how many bids you have to spend on an item, then you will be better able to manage how and when you place a bid. That will keep you from blowing away all of your bids in the first few seconds of the auction.

The next tip is to practice time management. When fighting in the trenches of penny auctions, you have two enemies: other bidders and time. Knowing when to bid is a must if you want to have success. Placing a bid when there is a lot of time left on the clock is never a good idea. You have to remember that the key to winning a penny auction is being the last one standing when the clock runs out and that each bid increases the amount of time left. It would be a good practice to wait until the last few minutes of the auction before you begin to bid.

The final tip for successful auctioning is to keep your emotions under control.Auctions have a lot of similarities to gambling, and just like gambling, your spending can get out of control. If you keep your emotions level, it will keep you from making rash decisions and blowing loads of cash. Keep your mind clear so that you can gage the behavior of the other bidders and outsmart them.

HOW TO AVOID SCAM SITES!

Penny auctions are a great addition to the web whether you want to win an item that otherwise you wouldn’t be able to afford or if you simply enjoy the thrill that comes with bidding in auctions. Unfortunately, scam sites have tarnished the reputation of the legitimate penny auction sites. However, there are ways that you can protect yourself from scamers and enjoy your auctioning without having to worry about losing your money due to dishonesty.

Checking the reputation of the auction site before you start spending your hard earned money is always a good idea. Chances are other people have tried the site before you and some of them have left reviews. The reviews are your way to gage whether a auction site is trustworthy or not. If a site is getting overwhelmingly negative reviews, then that is a clear indication that you should steer your business elsewhere.

Another tool you can use to protect yourself is checking the Alexia ranks of the auction sites. Alexia rank will give a solid view of how much traffic the auction is getting. If you see a huge difference in the amount of traffic Alexia is projecting and the amount of active bidders on the site, then warning signals should be ringing in your head. Some auction sites have been known to set up robots that automatically bid on projects in order to keep the auction going and inflate the price. That is known as shill bidding. You can sniff out those sites by comparing the traffic the site should be getting to the amount of users using this site.

CONCLUSION!

New legislation may come out later down the road that will officially make penny auctions gambling, but until then, it is a fun, exciting auction that allows one to win the item they’ve always wanted but couldn’t afford.Auctions are also quite lucrative for the site owners because of the pay-per-bid strategy they’ve incorporated. Penny auctions had humble beginnings with farmers who just wanted to get back at the banks who kicked them out of their house. More recently, auctions have enjoyed an explosion in popularity with the rise of the internet.

There are two main formats fora auctions, lowest and highest unique auction, however they both run on the same premise where the last unique bid wins the item. Winning a penny auction will require a certain amount of mental tactic and a bit of luck. However, you can increase your odds of winning by practicing certain techniques such as managing your bids wisely, learning how to work with the time, and keeping a level head and your emotions under control. When you combine those three strategies to your bidding plan, you will find that you win a lot more often.

It is important that you do your due diligence to protect yourself when participating in auctions. Not every auction is run by honest and trustworthy people. There are people out there who just want to take your money. You can protect yourself by ensuring that you only bid on sites that already have a very positive reputation from real users.

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How to Find Great Live Auctions for Resale Items

Hi, my name is Walt. I’m an auctioneer with 25 years of experience in the auction business and licensed in the state of MA. I own Quick Auction Service, a company that specializes in building and running custom auctions, I’m also the webmaster of my own site and have been on eBay for 8 years. Besides eBay, the types of auctions I run most frequently are antiques and on-site estate auctions, although I’ve run everything from business overstock auctions to charity & special event auctions.

I enjoy sharing my knowledge and stories of the auction business. My goal for article is to help folks get the absolute most out of their auction experience.

Whether your fresh out of the package or a seasoned dealer I think I can offer something in this article to help you with your auciton adventures.

There may be as many reasons to attend auctions as there are types of auctions to attend. Maybe you want to attend an auction to buy items for re-sale on eBay, or some other market. Maybe you want to furnish your home with wonderful antiques, or you want to furnish your home as inexpensively without sacrificing quality.Some folks are just looking for a fun night out. With a little perseverance all these things are possible.

There are antiques and estate auctions, auto auctions, overstock auctions, absolute and no reserve auctions, real estate auctions, specialty auctions where only one genre of items are sold, tailgate auctions, live auctions, online auctions, sealed bid auctions, silent auctions, charity and fund raising auctions and many more.

Can you really buy for pennies on the dollar at an auction? You bet! Many times I’ve seen folks buy and re-sell at the same auction on the same night for a good profit, although be advised, this should only be done after the auction is over.

There are a lot of ways to find an auction, but here are some tips on how to find and attend the best ones.

Visit the genre of shops in the area that apply to the type of auction you want to attend. IE: If your looking for a good antique auction to attend, stop in the local antiques shops and ask for what there are for good auctions in the area. Sounds obvious right? But listen to what they don’t say as well as what they do say. Oftentimes when a dealer speaks poorly about an auction he or she attends, it may be likely that they are trying to keep a good thing secret. Think for a moment, why would a dealer keep attending a lousy auction?

Newspaper ads: I personally like to find ads in the classified ad section rather than flashy display ads. Flashy ads are usually indicative of an auction that will be high priced, may have reserves, (a set price on an item), and usually an enormous crowd. While any auction can be profitable to attend, it is usually best to steer clear of the glitzy ones, at least for the beginner.

Here’s the minimum you want to find out before you go. If there is a phone number in the ad, call and ask for the terms of the sale. What forms of payment do they accept? Is it an absolute auction? An absolute auction is one that has no minimum or reserve bids on items. These are the best auctions to attend! Is there a buyers premium? A buyers premium is like a tax that everyone who makes purchases at that auction must pay above the winning bid price. Most auctions these days do charge a buyers premium, 10% is not unreasonable but I feel much more than that is greedy, and the auctioneer that charges over 10% is counting on most bidders not doing the extra math as the bids quicken in pace.

A fair auction will have ample time to inspect the merchandise, usually at least 2 or 3 hours. Find out when inspection starts and make sure to attend! Never attend an auction if you can’t make the inspection, not unless your prepared to gamble. Most auctioneers sell at a rate of about 100 items per hour, which is why they sell “as is”. They simply don’t have the time to give a detailed description of all the items. Since almost all items at auction are sold AS IS, there are sure to be some damaged, refinished, fake and incomplete items at any given auction. Beware of any auctions that offer very little or no inspection time.

Good auctions will usually have 150 to 400 lots. A lot may be one item or a group of items. The exception to this are specialty auctions, auto auctions, real estate auctions etc.

When you attend your first sale, take note of the 1/2 dozen or so dealers that buy the most often. See if you can find out about other area auctions they attend.

When you do find an excellent auction, attend it as often as possible. By frequenting good sales, you help increase the bottom line of that business. It’s difficult for many auctioneers to keep the quality of merchandise consistent, so good attendance certainly helps. And when an auctioneer gets to know you as a buyer, he/she will go out of the way to accommodate you, to keep you coming back.

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