How To Live Up to Your Greatest Potential (Part 6)

If you haven't read the first part of this post, go here Part 1

If you haven't read the second part of this post, go here Part 2

If you haven't read the third part of this post, go here Part 3

If you haven't read the fourth part of this post, go here Part 4

If you haven't read the fifth part of this post, go here Part 5

Developing your potential more fully is a key to happiness and fulfillment. Although we have primarily discussed this in terms of a job, these same concepts can be used in many other areas of your life.

In developing your potential to it's fullest, you will want to become a more efficient person - get more done in less time - so you can take full advantage of the opportunities that you make for yourself. You will note that most effective, successful people seem to accomplish a great deal. It's true that this is partly due to enthusiasm, but there's more to it than that.

The first barrier to efficiency is procrastination - putting off getting started. Sometimes you know you are procrastinating. You may not want to do the task at hand so you keep putting it off until tomorrow. The thing to do is to look at it from a different angle. If it'll have to be done sometime, tell yourself, "why not do it now, and get it off your back." And that's just where it is! On your back dragging you down. Putting things off makes everything harder to do. If you keep putting things off, you'll soon have several things piling up, and then the sheer number of tasks you have backed up will make it seem impossible to ever get caught up. This affects everything you will try to do.

Sometimes you don't even realize you are putting things off. You may keep yourself extremely busy doing things of little importance to unconsciously give yourself excuses for not doing the things you really should be doing. You say to yourself, "Look how busy I am. I just can't get everything done." But the result is the same as when you know you are procrastinating. It soon bogs you down. All you are doing is "running in place."

So how do you beat procrastination?

The first step in beating procrastination is to admit to yourself how often you do it and assessing your methods of doing it. Not very difficult, really, when you become aware of the tactics some of us use to hide from ourselves what we are doing.

The key to overcoming procrastination and becoming more efficient is organization. Plan ahead. Know what you want to accomplish today, this week, and in the long haul.

Make lists. The lists for today will probably be more detailed than the longer-term lists. That's OK. Now look over the lists and rank the tasks in order of importance. Make three or four groupings based on importance. Within each group, star the things you least like to do.

Each day you will have a "today" list to work on. Tackle the tasks that are most important first. If you have several "most important" tasks on your list, take on the least liked things in that grouping before you do the better-liked ones. When you have accomplished a task, check it off. You'll be surprised what a good feeling you have when you check things off. What a sense of accomplishment! It's an incentive to do the next task on the list. When you have completed the tasks in the first grouping, begin on the list of next importance. Again do the starred items in that group first. Keep on checking things off as you get them done.

Do you see what is happening? You get the most pressing, least liked tasks out of the way early in the day when you are fresh and rested. As the day goes on you will feel less and less pressure. You have reserved the less important tasks for the end of the day when you will be more tired.

TO BE CONTINUED!

And lastly next week we'll cover what you should learn next, Delegation.

As always,
To your success!

Please leave a comment below to let us know how we’re doing.

Feel free to leave any suggestions for future posts or content. Or ask any questions regarding anything you don’t understand or need help with, I would be happy to help in any way I can.

I hope you find this information helpful. Thank you for reading.

P.S. Are you tired of wasting time and money on Affiliate Marketing that doesn't work? Want to copy a real business in just days? CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE

How To Live Up to Your Greatest Potential (Part 5)

If you haven't read the first part of this post, go here Part 1

If you haven't read the second part of this post, go here Part 2

If you haven't read the third part of this post, go here Part 3

If you haven't read the fourth part of this post, go here Part 4

As you advance toward your goals, you will undoubtedly run up against some difficult people (maybe even difficult bosses), and there will be times you'll need to deal effectively with them. Since you are working on becoming a nice, enthusiastic person and a team player, you already have half the battle won. Your attitude is as important as the other guy's attitude when you are dealing with difficult people.

Always keep in mind that your job is a training field for you. You are getting paid as you learn the things you need to know to achieve your goals. A pretty good deal, right? If you view your job as a paid opportunity to advance toward your goals, you will be an asset to your boss. You will also be a happier, more productive person. Viewing your job in this manner will allow you to view the difficult people you will inevitably need to deal with as an opportunity to grow. From them and the situations they create, you will learn to negotiate with, side-step around, and draw out the best in others without letting yourself become upset. Each time you successfully deal with one of these people you will gain confidence and probably friends to add to your support network. The skill of negotiating with difficult people and the confidence you have gained from these encounters comes in handy when you are ready to ask for a promotion or raise - even if your boss happens to be a nice person.

Successful negotiation is not a contest of wills - it is working together to solve a problem or come to an agreement. It is an opportunity to learn how others feel about the issue.

Always be prepared. Know who you are talking with. Always know as much as possible about the person. Know about the person's marital status, family, hobbies, education, difficulties, attitudes, and whatever else you can learn. The information may give you an understanding of the person. If you know the circumstances, you will more easily find the most effective way to get your point across. At the very least, the information will make the person seem more familiar which will give you more self-confidence.

Know the issue - not just your opinions about it. Be able to back up your opinions with reasons and research. If you are asking for a promotion, know the demands of the job in question. Know and be honest about how much of the job you are already qualified to do and how much additional training you will need. If you may not be as qualified as someone else applying, be prepared to negotiate for a smaller-than-offered salary until you are fully trained - remember the training is worth a lot to you. Be enthusiastic and focus on your strengths - don't boast but give a simple and accurate listing of the strengths you feel make you a good candidate for this job. The strengths you cite can and should include specific job-related skills, your present accomplishments on the job, your interest in the field (not just this job), your enthusiasm, your ability to work as a team member, and other personal traits that will be an asset on the job.

Always enter into negotiations with a calm and reasonable manner. Don't let emotion and emotional outbursts have a place at the negotiating table. You must be in control of yourself if you want to get your point across. People are more likely to listen to your views if you present them in a calm and reasonable manner. Present your ideas with conviction but don't try to intimidate others or be demanding. State your views simply, completely, and orderly. When you are expressing an opinion rather than a fact, use a qualifying "I think" or "In my opinion." When others are expressing their views, listen carefully and ask questions if something isn't clear. Don't disagree until you are sure you understand their position. When you do disagree, do so in a pleasant non-threatening way. "I see what you mean, but . . ." or "I can understand why you think that, but . . ." are a couple of good ways to begin a statement of disagreement. Be courteous and leave them a chance to save face.

Be prepared to face people who are not calm and reasonable. Don't let them get to you. Remain calm and reasonable and even be a little sympathetic. Let's say you have entered into negotiations with your boss for a raise and he blows up with, "I can't afford to give you a raise. This business isn't exactly a gold mine. Don't you realize how tough times are?" Remain calm. Put yourself in his shoes. Try to find something you can agree and sympathize with. For instance, look sympathetic and agree, "I know you have a lot of expenses and you work hard to keep this business going. It must be really difficult for you sometimes." This will probably not be the response he expects. It will probably take the wind out of his sails. Most likely he will calm down, and since you are sympathetic to his problems, he'll be more willing to listen to you. If you remain calm, reasonable, and sympathetic, he will calm down. When he is calmer, discuss with him the reasons you are a valuable asset to him. Don't threaten but calmly and reasonably discuss the bargain a small raise is. With that small raise, he'll be keeping a happy and fully trained employee who knows the company. When you consider the expense of finding and training another individual, giving you a raise is a bargain for your boss.

Play "Let's Make A Deal." Be prepared to deal. Don't expect to get everything you want. If you are willing to gracefully make some concessions, you will be more likely to arrive at a satisfactory deal. After all, a negotiation has at least two opposing sides. This means someone else has something they want, too - even if that something is simply to leave things as they are. Arrive at a compromise that everyone can live with. Remember, you are working at long-range goals, and you may be negotiating with them again.

TO BE CONTINUED!

Next week we'll cover what you should do next, Developing Efficiency and Dealing With Procrastination.

As always,
To your success!

Please leave a comment below to let us know how we’re doing.

Feel free to leave any suggestions for future posts or content. Or ask any questions regarding anything you don’t understand or need help with, I would be happy to help in any way I can.

I hope you find this information helpful. Thank you for reading.

P.S. Are you tired of wasting time and money on Affiliate Marketing that doesn't work? Want to copy a real business in just days? CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE

How To Live Up to Your Greatest Potential (Part 4)

If you haven't read the first part of this post, go here Part 1

If you haven't read the second part of this post, go here Part 2

If you haven't read the third part of this post, go here Part 3

Work on developing the more general attributes that are important to almost any goal:

Success comes more easily to those who have a pleasing personality. This is not to say that you should bend to everyone's wishes or scrape and bow. Rather, develop an attitude that is respectful of other's opinions but true to your own beliefs. Be flexible - don't be so rigid that you can't accept another opinion when it is superior to your own. Be willing, even eager, to learn from others. Changing your opinion in light of more facts is a sign of the strength of character, not weakness. Be willing to extend a helpful hand, be a team player. Develop a sense of humor. Be polite and caring - but be your own person.

Learn to guard against emotional responses. You are susceptible to errors of judgment when you let your emotions get in the way. Of course, everything we do is done based somewhat on our emotions, but strong emotions have little place in decision making. Hold your emotions in check. Try to delay decisions if you are in an emotional state. Learn to ignore your emotions and use reasoning to arrive at your decisions.

Develop the habit of enthusiasm. Enthusiasm works like a magnet - it draws people and success. It's a pleasing personality trait that people like to be a part of. It seems to be contagious - the people around you become enthusiastic, too, and become more cooperative. Enthusiasm sparks initiative and singleness of purpose.

We've talked of working to develop habits - the habit of focusing on your goals, the habit of focusing on your strengths, the habit of learning and "researching," the habit of visualizing, the habit of enthusiasm. Now we will talk about habits in a little different light - breaking them. First, assess your habits looking for the ones that may be displeasing to others. Offensive habits can hold you back from success - they are often a part of an unpleasing personality. Look for things like grumbling or grunting at people instead of answering, gazing at anything but the speaker when conversing, smirking or sneering when you don't agree - anything that is an automatic, displeasing mannerism. It will be very difficult to assess your habits accurately. After all, a habit is something that we do without thinking much about it. You will have to spend some time at this and be very conscious of yourself. Ask someone you trust to help you with this assessment. It may take a lot of work to break yourself of displeasing habits. Try substituting a different, more pleasing behavior for the habit you wish to break.

OK. You have set definite goals, you have a definiteness of purpose, you have researched and know the specific steps to take to achieve the goals, you have resolved to be flexible and to develop a more pleasing personality. Now what?

Well, just because you have a clear purpose, know what you want, are willing to work on developing your potential, and willing to be a nice person, success will not drop into your lap overnight.

You will probably find that one of your first steps in achieving your goals will be to take a job somewhat below where you hope eventually to be. But you've already analyzed the steps to your goal, so you presumably have planned for this. However, you do want to advance and, of course, as quickly as possible.

TO BE CONTINUED!

Next week we'll cover what you should do next, Dealing With Adversity and Negotiation.

As always,
To your success!

Please leave a comment below to let us know how we’re doing.

Feel free to leave any suggestions for future posts or content. Or ask any questions regarding anything you don’t understand or need help with, I would be happy to help in any way I can.

I hope you find this information helpful. Thank you for reading.

P.S. Are you tired of wasting time and money on Affiliate Marketing that doesn't work? Want to copy a real business in just days? CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE

How To Live Up to Your Greatest Potential (Part 3)

If you haven't read the first part of this post, go here Part 1

If you haven't read the second part of this post, go here Part 2

OK. You have decided what your ultimate goal is, whatever you make it. But make sure it is a definitely defined goal. "Someday I want to be famous" just won't cut it. Define exactly what you want to do. Define a reasonable time frame. Know what you have to do to get there. You don't need to know every little detail, but you do have to have the big picture and many of the details. If you have a goal in mind but don't know what it takes to reach it, then you need to find out. Do some reading, talk to people who know, ask questions and LISTEN to the answers. Think that sounds like a lot of work? Well, remember what you are preparing for - your success and happiness. Surely you want to put a little effort into that! Anyway, a little research into what it will take for you to reach your goals isn't too difficult.

Train yourself into making this "research" the next focus of your life. You will be focusing on your strengths, on your purpose, and on learning and doing. If you have chosen a goal that is right for you, focusing on these things and devoting the necessary time should not be too difficult. It may take a bit of self-discipline at first, but your determination and interest will carry you through until the focusing process becomes a habit. When you have a real desire to accomplish something, the initiative should only require an occasional shove - but you may need to give it a nudge now and again.

Get into the habit of visualizing your success. Now sitting around and daydreaming in generalizations about it is not what we mean. You need to visualize specifics. To return to the basketball example, daydreaming about being carried off the court on your teammates' shoulders is just daydreaming. Picturing in your mind how you will work a play if your opponent makes a particular move, picturing your exact response to it, is visualizing specifics. If you run through specific moves in your mind, you will be prepared when the need for those moves arises.

Don't be afraid to use your imagination to visualize new and better ways to accomplish things, as well. Here in your mind, you can try doing things in ways that are different from the usual. This is a creative process – you may have heard of creative thinking. Training yourself to think creatively is largely learning to let your imagination work on methods that are different from the "way things have always been done." It's breaking away from the idea that a thing can be done effectively in only one way. It's looking at a problem from all angles. Just play a game of "what if." Ask yourself, "What if I did this thing this way?" It's OK to get a little crazy sometimes. But, you must also spend some of your thinking time at specific visualizations of the moves you need to make to accomplish your

goals.

Visualizations are important but actual physical practice of your skills is important, too. Practice the boring little skills that are necessary as well as the skills that you enjoy. Don't let yourself rely on just the things that come naturally and easy to you. Develop your limited potentials, as well as those that you feel, are your assets.

TO BE CONTINUED!

Next week we'll cover what you should do next, Developing Habits.

As always,
To your success!

Please leave a comment below to let us know how we’re doing.

Feel free to leave any suggestions for future posts or content. Or ask any questions regarding anything you don’t understand or need help with, I would be happy to help in any way I can.

I hope you find this information helpful. Thank you for reading.

P.S. Are you tired of wasting time and money on Affiliate Marketing that doesn't work? Want to copy a real business in just days? CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE

How To Live Up to Your Greatest Potential (Part 2)

If you haven't read the first part of this post, go here Part 1

OK. You probably have no interest in playing basketball. Then go to your assessment of yourself. What do you have a major interest in? What do you have a natural aptitude for? Go for it. Devote yourself to something you really like to do. Don't choose something just because you think you could make more money at it than you could by doing something else that you would really rather work at. You won't work to develop your full potential. You may start out with enthusiasm, but you will soon flag. It will be a chore to go to work. You'll probably find yourself hating to go. It'll be difficult to work on improving your skills because you don't like what you are doing. You probably won't be working up to your potential. Your success will probably be limited by your growing lack of interest and your happiness will surely be affected.

If, however, you devote yourself to something you really like to do, you'll enjoy your work, you'll be enthusiastic, and you'll probably find yourself working on improving your skills just for the sheer joy of it. You will be working to reach your full potential. You'll probably soon find you are making more money at this truly interesting occupation than you ever dreamed possible. And because you like what you are doing, you will be happier.

When you know you are working to your full potential and you enjoy your work and begin to feel successful, you will find that self-confidence and happiness soon follow.

But, you must be realistic and honest with yourself. If you set goals that you can't possibly reach, you are setting yourself up for failure. You will make yourself frustrated and unhappy. The key here is a realistic and honest assessment of your potential.

Although most people will be unnecessarily harsh in their assessments, it is easy to become too hopeful when you start breaking down barriers. If, for instance, you're extremely interested in and fond of music and would love to be a singer, it would be unreasonable to set a singing career as your goal if you can't sing a note (some talents are inborn). But if you are knowledgeable about the music business and would be happy being involved in some other capacity, then it would be reasonable to pursue a career in the business.

Be wary of making otherwise perfectly reasonable goals unattainable because of stringent time frames. When you set a goal, you will most likely set times for achieving certain steps along your way to achieving your final goal. Even if you don't set the time frames formally, you will probably have a pretty good idea of how long you are giving yourself. It's wise to sit down and formally set these goals. Think about it and give yourself a reasonable time to achieve them. Make a deal with yourself to view these time limits as flexible.

Don't get discouraged if things don't work out as planned. Sometimes finding our place takes both time and error. All of us experience failures of one magnitude or another. The key is to view the failures as a learning experience - if nothing else, failures teach us what not to do. Remain flexible. As long as you keep focusing on your strengths and potential, the right thing will come along - and probably sooner rather than later. But don't quit at the first sign of boredom. Even if you have truly found your niche, you will not feel enthusiastic 100 percent of the time.

Don't worry about others - don't compare your progress with that of others. No matter how successful you are, there will be someone else who, to you, looks like he/she's got it made - who looks like they're getting where you want to go faster and easier than you are. Maybe they are. Maybe they aren't. Who cares? Focus on your own achievements. Work to develop your skills and talents to their full potential. Compete with yourself - your short-term goals should be based on today's accomplishments. If you have reached Point A today, make Point B your next objective - improve yourself and don't worry about the other guy.

TO BE CONTINUED!

Next week we'll cover what you should do next, Getting Clear Through Visualization.

As always,
To your success!

Please leave a comment below to let us know how we’re doing.

Feel free to leave any suggestions for future posts or content. Or ask any questions regarding anything you don’t understand or need help with, I would be happy to help in any way I can.

I hope you find this information helpful. Thank you for reading.

P.S. Are you tired of wasting time and money on Affiliate Marketing that doesn't work? Want to copy a real business in just days? CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE

How To Live Up to Your Greatest Potential (Part 1)

What makes a high achiever? Is it luck, intelligence, talent, dedication? All of these things figure in - they all make a difference. But we all know intelligent, talented, hard-working people who do not consider themselves very successful or even happy. And we know people who are not exceptionally bright but seem happy and successful.

If you want to make more of your talents - live up to your full potential - you have to learn to use them. You have the power to change your habits - to acquire new skills and fully use the skills you now have. You can improve your performance, your productivity, and the quality of your whole life.

So there must be something else, some secret to success. Actually, there are several secrets to achieving your peak performance - living up to your full potential.

Your success at business, friendship, love, sports - just about anything you try - is largely determined by your own self-image. Your unhappiness is something you choose. So, you're thinking no one chooses to be unhappy. Well, maybe not - but you have to consciously choose to be happy, self-confident, and successful.

Happiness is elusive when we go after it directly. So is self-confidence. Both seem to be more "side-products" than something you can achieve in and for itself. So how, then, can consciously choosing to be these things be of any value? Well, the secret is to focus on other things.

First, focus on your potential. Begin by making a complete and accurate assessment of your potential. To do this you must take an inventory of yourself - you will make a few lists. Sit down and make a list of all the things you can do well. Be honest with yourself. When that list is done, make a list of all the things you like to do, even if you think you can't do them well. Then, make a list of all the things you would like to do if you could. Now list your hobbies.

Then, go back to the list of things you can do well. You are probably being much too hard on yourself. Most of us are. We have this little voice in our heads telling us things like: "You're so dumb," or "You can't learn to do that," or "You never do anything right," or similar nasty things. And even worse, we listen to that voice as if it's telling us the gospel truth. So now, shut off that voice - you can do it - and add a few more things to the list of things you can do well. Pretend you are your best friend - it's amazing how much more forgiving and charitable we are with our friends than we are with ourselves. Now that you are your best friend, you should be able to add a few more items to your "do well" list. But to be honest - don't list things you feel you really can't do well.

Next, go to your list of things you like to do but you feel you don't do well. Speaking as your own best friend, do you think there are some things on this list that could be moved to your "do well" list? There probably are. If you like to do it, chances are you do pretty well at it. Treat your hobby list in the same manner.

Next, go to your list of things you would like to do if you could. Ask yourself, "Why can't I do this, if I'd like to?" Put your reasons on another list. OK. So you have a lot of lists going - what good is that going to do? Well, you have just made an assessment of yourself. If you have been truly honest in making these lists, it may even be a fairly accurate assessment. Probably it isn't, but that's OK. This assessment isn't carved in stone. It's subject to change. But for now, we will work with what's on the lists. At least you have a place to start.

Look over your lists again. You are focusing on all the things you feel you can't do and the reasons why you can't do them, right? Well, don't. FOCUS ON WHAT YOU CAN DO - FOCUS ON YOUR POTENTIAL. Make it a habit to focus on your strengths. Don't forget to include your undeveloped potential, as well. Train yourself to focus on your potential instead of your limitations.

Now that's not to say that you should ignore your list of reasons for not doing some of the things you would like to do. Not at all! But look at them from the viewpoint of your strengths. For instance, you'd like to play basketball but you think you are too short, so you don't even try. In this case, you are looking at it from the viewpoint of your limitations. Now, when you look at it from the viewpoint of your strengths, you would say, "Well, I may be pretty short to play, BUT I am fast. I can handle the ball well. I have a lot of stamina. I can't change being short, but I can refuse to let my limitations overcome my strengths."

You see the difference? Focusing on your limitations lets those limitations make your decisions for you. Focusing on your strengths lets YOU make the decision. To go back to our example: when you've decided to overcome your height limitations to play basketball - something you really want to do - you will be more determined to develop your strengths to compensate. You will do well because you will be doing what you really want to do and you will be determined to develop the full potential of your strengths. Very few people concentrate on fully developing any of their strengths. That's where you will have the edge. You know your true disadvantages but your determination, your singleness of purpose, will inspire you to fully develop the talents and skills you do have.

TO BE CONTINUED!

Next week we'll cover what you should do next, Goal Setting.

As always,
To your success!

Please leave a comment below to let us know how we’re doing.

Feel free to leave any suggestions for future posts or content. Or ask any questions regarding anything you don’t understand or need help with, I would be happy to help in any way I can.

I hope you find this information helpful. Thank you for reading.

P.S. Are you tired of wasting time and money on Affiliate Marketing that doesn't work? Want to copy a real business in just days? CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE

How To Get Free Broadcast Advertising

The specific strategy we highlight in this article is applicable to other forms of advertising, but it was first developed and used in the radio & television industries, so we have written it with a slant in that direction.

If you are looking to do some broadcast advertising then you will find this article very useful, especially if you are of limited means with regard to advertising dollars. This technique is still a viable and effective one, so I hope you will keep an open mind.

Where applicable, we explain how it's possible to tie this into an online advertising system as well.

Let's get started, shall we?

It's an accepted reality in business that one of your largest expenses is going to be for advertising.

Advertising is a must. No business will grow without advertising. Advertising is the "life-blood" of any profitable business. And regardless of what methods, techniques, or strategies you use or where, when, and how you advertise, it's going to cost you something in one form or another (cash, time, energy, etc).

All successful businesses are primarily built upon a solid foundation of good advertising. The largest and most successful companies in the world have advertising budgets that number in the millions of dollars annually.

Now you may not be able to match their advertising efforts, at least not in the beginning while working from your garage, kitchen table, or basement, but there are ways you can get similar results without spending astronomical amounts of money on advertising. This technique is called "P.I" Advertising.

"P.I." means “per inquiry”, and even though this kind of advertising is mostly associated with the broadcasting industry (radio and television), it can be adapted to almost any advertising medium. Just use your imagination and be creative and you might be surprised at what you can do with this strategy.

What makes the “P.I.” strategy so attractive is that you only pay for the responses you get from your advertising message. It's very popular (somewhat akin to bartering) and is used by many more advertisers than what most people realize.

The advantage of “P.I.” Advertising for the marketer is (as stated above) you only pay for the results the advertising produces.

The advantage of “P.I.” Advertising for the provider, in this kind of advertising arrangement, is that they are able to fill unused or lower value advertising slots with cash-generating ads, creating a greater opportunity for them to see profits they would not have previously expected.

To benefit from this "free" advertising (it's not really free because you will be paying the provider a commission, but you won't have to take money out of your pocket to do it, as your clients will have already paid you before you pay the provider), start by creating a file (or by getting a loose-leaf notebook and about 100 sheets of filler paper, if you don't have a computer) and make a list of advertising providers.

1. For internet advertising providers just do a Google search for solo, classified, or emailing marketing services.

• After compiling your list, just email the providers with your proposal and see who is willing to work with you on your terms. It may be difficult to find some that will do this because of the popularity on online marketing, but if you find some new providers looking to grow their online presence, you might get a few that are interested.

2. For broadcast advertising providers visit your public library and start poring through the:

• Broadcast Yearbook on radio stations in the U.S. (this publication actually ceased publishing in print in July 2010, but the information is in digital format, generally for free, available online. CLICK HERE to get access to the last published issue of the yearbook. You will also find a great deal of information there that can help you with this step.

• Standard Rate and Data Services Directory. This publication can be accessed online (www.srds.com) but it is very expensive. Retailing for just under $900 for a one-year subscription to each database and each category is it's own database (radio being one database, television being another database, newspaper another, etc.), so the cost adds up very quickly.

Both these resources will provide you with just about all the information you could ever need to know about licensed broadcasting stations.

After you gain access to either of these publications, start with the state or states where you want to advertise first. It makes the most sense to begin in your own state and then work outward to surrounding states.

You wouldn't try to sell suntan lotion in Minnesota in December or winter Parkas in Florida in July, would you? Ok. Then, you will want to use some good, old-fashioned common sense here when planning out your marketing strategy. Think: “Who are the people most likely to be interested in my offer?”, and “Where will I find the largest numbers of these people?”.*

*Regarding online concentrations, just search “forums + your niche (like, “health”, or “gardening”, or whatever)”

NOTE: If you are marketing a “How to make money online” or “work from home” report, for example, you will probably want to target those states (or better yet cities) reporting the highest unemployment rates first before branching out to other areas.

Once you've got your target area(s) selected, go through the radio listings for the cities and towns in that area, and update your file or jot down in your notebook the names of general managers, the station call letters, telephone numbers and addresses.

Initially, you should only list one radio or television station or newspaper per city. There isn't really a limit to the internet component, whatever you are comfortable with is what you should do.

Pick out the stations where the people most interested in your product would most likely be listening. This can be determined by the programming description contained within the data column about the station in the Broadcasting Yearbook or the SRDS Directory.

On the first contact, you should treat it as a way of introducing yourself, and inquire if they would consider a “P.I.” Advertising campaign. Tell the station manager that you have a product you feel will sell very well in their market, briefly describe the product, and explain that you would like to test it before going ahead with a paid advertising program.

Quickly highlight product benefits and price point. Then tell them that during this test, you propose to allow the service provider a 50/50 split with you on each response their station generates for your product.

Let them know that you will handle all aspects of the deal for them: from writing the commercials and/or ads, to all accounting and bookkeeping, to fulfilment of all orders, to settling any refunds or complaints. Basically, all they will have to do is schedule your commercials and/or ads to broadcast and give them their "best shot."

If you've contacted them by phone, and they have agreed to look over your “P.I.” material, tell them “thank you” and promise to get a complete "package" to them immediately. Then follow thru with your promise.

Include a short cover letter, placed on top of your complete “P.I.” Advertising Package, and get it to them without delay.

As responses come into the station or website, they count them and forward them on to you for fulfilment. You make out a check for payment to them, fill & deliver the orders and everybody's happy.

As explained in the previous section, where applicable, we describe how it's possible to tie this into an online advertising system as well.

Continuing...

Contacting your perspective providers by phone is certainly the quickest, least expensive, and most efficient method of inquiring as to whether those stations are willing to consider your “P.I.” proposal.

Upon your initial phone contact, naturally, you will, unfortunately, experience a few “No”s. If you should happen to get turned down, and they are not interested in undertaking any “P.I.” Advertising, simply thank them, make a notation in your file or notebook by their name, and go to the next call.

In some cases, circumstances may turn out to be less expensive to make this initial contact by letter or postcard.

If you determine that writing is your best form of contact, simply address your postcard or letter to the listed contact person. Always be straightforward and positive in tone. Ensure everything you present is complete.

Present all the details in a logical fashion on one page, perfectly typed on your letterhead paper, and mailed in a typed-address envelope. (Ink-stamped letterheads/addresses just won't work, they are rarely even read).

Ideally, include a self-addressed/stamped postcard with spaces for positive or negative check marks for responding to your questions: “Will you” or “Won't you” look over my material and consider a mutually profitable "Per Inquiry" advertising campaign to broadcast on your station?

After they look over your materials (if you have done a good job presenting your proposal) and given serious consideration for your “P.I.” program, you most likely will reach some kind of agreement. Now, you have your foot in the door.

Once you have a verbal commitment from your contact at the radio station, move quickly to get your cover letter and package off to them by First Class mail, maybe even Special Delivery if you can afford it.

Don't allow time for that interest in your program to be lost or even to cool down. Have everything put together and ready to mail just as soon as you have a positive response. You should be organizing your advertising package at the same time you organize your "radio station notebook".

The “P.I.” Advertising Package

Start with a follow-up letter, written to fit most, if not all, standard situations. Have 250 copies printed. Next, you'll want to put together at least two thirty-second commercials and two sixty-second commercials. You should write these up, and have 250 copies of these printed and organized as a part of your “P.I.” Advertising Package.

Then you should have some sort of advertising contract written up, detailing everything about your program, outlining how everything is to be handled and by whom.

• How and when payment to the radio station is to be made.

• Plus any special paragraphs relative to refunds, complaints, and liabilities.

All this can be very quickly written up. Have, a minimum of 250 copies of carbonless, multi-part, snap-out business forms printed and organized as a part of your “P.I.” Advertising Package.

And finally, include a self-addressed/stamped postcard the radio or television station can use to let you know that they are going to use your “P.I.” Advertising program. This postcard should also have them list:

• when they will start running your commercials on the air

• how often your commercials will run

• and during which time periods

Again, you simply type out these “reply postcards” with the wording and in the format you want to use. Have copies printed for these mailings and organized as the last part of your “P.I.” Advertising Package.

After you have all that done, you're ready to send out your advertising packages. All you'll have to do when you get a positive commitment is fill in the business salutation and sign it. If you discussed any different arrangements or a specific matter with your initial contact, you will want to type a different letter incorporating those specific comments or answers to the points discussed. This personal touch won't take long, and could pay huge dividends!

Now, really, the hard part is done.

Okay, Let's wrap this discussion up by doing a little review.

The first step is to do some planning and make some decisions. You have already developed a product (a physical product, book, service, training program, something you will sell).

You have an idea of who and where to find your customers.

Now, you can do some initial research by scanning through the SRDS or Broadcasting Yearbook to begin compiling a 'contact information list' of possible markets to target and the broadcasters that service those markets.

After you compile your list you will make contact with those stations by phone or mail. If turned down, simply say thanks, and go to the next station on the list. For any of those who respond positively and want to know more about your proposal, you immediately deliver a “P.I.” Advertising Package to them via the fastest method possible. Don't let that interest wane.

Your “P.I.” Advertising Package should contain the following:

1. Cover letter
2. Sample brochure, product literature
3. Thirty-second and sixty-second commercials
4. “P.I.” Advertising Contract
5. Self-addressed stamped postcard for station acknowledgement and acceptance of your program.

As we all know, everything about business changes from day to day (conditions change, people get busy, and other things come up). Having both an acknowledgement postcard and a contract reinforces your position in case there is a change in the environment between you and the station.

Consider this, the station manager may have signed a “P.I.” advertising contract with you agreeing to start your advertising on the 1^st of March. But suppose the contract was actually signed on the 1^st of January, yet when March 1^st rolls around, they may have forgotten, been replaced, or even decided against running your ad.

Having multiple pieces of paper seemingly "covering all the details" can be very reassuring and impressive to many broadcast station managers. Giving them confidence that you are serious and that they will benefit by doing business with your company.

Try not to be too impatient to get started with your own “P.I.” Advertising campaign. Don't let your excitement get the better of your judgment, radio and television station people are just as professional and dedicated as anyone else in business, so be sure that you have developed a product or service that lends itself well to selling via a broadcaster's inquiry system.

Remember that anything can be sold, and even sold easily and by any method, you decide upon, provided it is presented in the right way.

For example: "Hello folks! Who wants to buy a mailing list for 10 cents per thousand names?" couldn't even get on the air. However, what if you had the addresses of, let's say, the top 100 movie stars, and you put together an idea that would enable people to write to these movie stars directly, you might have a winner, and might end up selling a lot of mailing lists of those movie stars.

Another point to consider is that you have a great deal riding on the quality of the content of your commercial (what benefits you offer to the listener, and the ease with which they may enjoy those benefits, etc.), so it's in your best interest to ensure that your commercials are nothing less than top notch.

Let's say, you have a new book on how to find jobs during a time when there are very few jobs available. Your market (the people you will want to talk to) are the people who are desperately searching for employment.

You must speak to them in words that not only grab their interest but also cause them to feel that you're offering them something that will solve their problem. It's the product and in the writing of the advertising message about that product that will bring in those sales responses.

If you put your sales package together properly, radio and television station managers will be sold on your idea and will be willing to work with you. Providing a reasonable number of responses come in with your first offer, you just might set yourself up for an entire series of successes.

Success has a "ripple effect," that you can build on with each new project, but only if you take action and move on that first one.

As always,

To your success!

Next time we start a new 3-part discussion series on “How To Get Free Publicity With Press Releases”

Please leave a comment below to let us know how we’re doing.

Feel free to leave any suggestions for future posts or content. Or ask any questions regarding anything you don’t understand or need help with, I would be happy to help in any way I can.

I hope you find this information helpful. Thank you for reading.

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