Getting Ahead In Life

Why 80% Good Beats 100% Perfect Every Time

noreply@blogger.com (Ian McConnell) — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 02:21:00 +0000

"The path to perfection leads to procrastination. Don’t let perfect ruin good."
– Harry Beckwith

We have all heard that practice makes perfect, but I am here to tell you that the pursuit of perfection in the world of online marketing can lead to Stuck City, or worse, Nothing Gets Done Town. One of the reasons why many business owners whose revenue depends on online marketing can’t get going or aren’t doing any better than running an expensive hobby is because they are suffering from perfection paralysis.

Perfection paralysis takes many forms; a writer having writer’s block, an artist sitting in front of a blank canvas, or the internet marketer who promises a newsletter but never delivers. I know many (including me) who suffer from perfection paralysis in some form, but I think I have a cure. I’ve come to believe that 80% good is better than 100% perfect.

Stop Perfecting and Start Doing

It was midnight and Patty Perfect was on her fourth draft of her article. She had chosen her words carefully, crafting a masterpiece of words and thoughts about her feelings of the state of junk e-mail in today’s society. She spots a typo here and a missing comma there. She types and retypes, reviews, and asks for feedback from her husband. Patty is worried - worried about what her audience will think of her and how the public will judge her. She is paralyzed at the thought of her tour de force not being perfect. Days later, she finally relents and posts to her blog.

Meanwhile, Grant Goodenough was multitasking as usual. He was taking notes while attending a one-hour teleclass and hears some great advice about what to include and exclude in e-mail “subject lines” – a hot topic with his clients. He quickly types up a couple of paragraphs thinking how he and his client, Coach Sally, were just talking about this very topic earlier today! Ok, so it wasn’t the work of art that he would have liked, but he posts to his blog anyway.

Which post do YOU think is most helpful, useful, and relevant? Whose clients do YOU think are going to benefit the most?

It’s the relationship that counts

Let’s be honest, no one is perfect. No matter how hard you try, your e-course will have a grammar error (someone will tell you and you will fix it), you will accidentally send a broadcast to a list you didn’t intend to (who knows, maybe you’ll get a client out of it :)) and, yes, a newsletter will have a broken hyperlink (it’s not the end of the world).

I know I may catch some grief for saying these things, but I’ve been doing this for awhile and trust me, it happens to everyone - even the internet marketing heavy hitters! What’s most important is that it gets done and that you maintain your relationship with your clients and subscribers.

Don’t get me wrong, I strive for perfection. Nothing makes me cringe like a giant typo front and center on an ezine headline. But I look at it this way … at least I’m getting the ezine! I know many people who are hung up on their newsletter, web page, you name it, being “perfect” that nothing gets done.

No newsletter = no relationship, no connection, no subscribers, no nothing.

I don’t know about you, but I’ll take Goodenough over Perfect any day. So, stop perfecting and start doing!

This article is by Lisa Wells, a Certified e-Marketing Associate who partners with coaches, consultants, entrepreneurs, and small business owners, managing their many online marketing needs. Move your business to the next level and up your e-marketing game - sign up for her FREE e-course “e-Marketing Toolbox Essentials” at www.emarketingtoolboxessentials.com, where she shares ideas, tips, strategies, do’s and don’ts, as well as programs and strategies you need to avoid!

The Internet Marketing Center And Derek Gehl Make Me Mad

noreply@blogger.com (Ian McConnell) — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 09:39:00 +0000

I'm FURIOUS At Derek Gehl and His Team Of Internet Marketing Experts..."

(And I've Made A Formal Complaint...)

I've been doing business online for a lot of years now.

More than I can count...

So when I saw what internet marketing guru Derek Gehl started doing about 2 weeks ago, I was more than a little miffed...

... I was downright furious!

See, over the years I've joined a lot of "free" Internet marketing communities. You've probably seen them... Discussion forums and chat rooms hosted by other so-called Internet marketing experts.

You're promised "unlimited access" to these gurus... But you almost NEVER see them online. And they rarely stoop to answer questions from us "little guys."

So you're left talking to other wanna-be entrepreneurs, which is great when you need moral support. But if you want to learn how to make REAL money online, who do YOU want to talk to...?

The guy who is making squat for sales with his brand new website?

Or, the guy who is making MILLIONS online every year?

Yeah, me too! I want to talk to the guy who's making millions!

Until a couple of weeks ago, though, getting access to these millionaire gurus was almost impossible because, not surprisingly, access came with a hefty price!

I don't know about you, but $8,000-$25,000+ for personal one-on-one coaching was waaaay outside my budget when I was getting started.

So that's why, when I saw what Derek Gehl and his team of Internet marketing experts who have generated over $60 MILLION in online sales have started doing...

... I nearly blew a gasket!

Derek has just started giving his private list of customers and subscribers UNLIMITED business advice from his very own team of experts...

... For the ridiculous investment of just $3.27.

And when I say "unlimited" business advice, I mean that on any business day, you can pop into Derek's thriving "Internet Entrepreneur's Club Forum" and ask his private team of experts ANY question about your business.

For example, in the forum, Derek's team of experts will give you...

>> UNLIMITED reviews of your website, loaded with actionable ideas you can immediately apply to increase your sales! (These reviews alone are easily valued at $3,000 to $5,000 each!)

>> UNLIMITED reviews of your salescopy, again, packed with ideas for simple (and sometimes dramatic) changes you can test to increase your sales! (I've seen sites increase their sales 300% and MORE using their advice!)

>> UNLIMITED advice from Derek's own private SEO expert -- so you can increase your sales with FREE traffic from Google!

>> UNLIMITED reviews of your current traffic campaigns including your PPC activity, blogging strategies, email campaigns, and MORE! (I saw one guy make £5,626 in just 12 days!)

>> UNLIMITED help generating NEW business ideas and NEW sources of revenue for your existing business!

>> PLUS, a Bonus Tool Kit Worth $391.00... Containing THREE of the Internet Marketing Center's best-selling Internet marketing tools... eBook Pro Business Edition, 60-Second Salesletters, and Hover Ad Creator... a $391.00 value, theirs FREE!

... And what's more, Derek's team of experts guarantee they'll get back to you with a thoughtful, personal answer to your question, for YOUR business -- within 48 hours!

And what's even more amazing is... they do!

Which is why, after seeing all the glowing reviews and raving success stories this members-only club has been generating, I was pretty darn upset to see Derek giving it away to his customers and subscribers ONLY -- for just $3.27!

After all, I've been recommending Derek Gehl and his team at the Internet Marketing Center as a resource for quite some time now...

... What about MY customers and subscribers?

So I called up Derek's office, and spoke directly to his joint venture coordinator, and made it clear that I didn't think it was fair that IMC was keeping this $3.27 deal JUST for their own clients and subscribers.

And while I never did manage to get through to Derek directly, I did manage to score one heck of a deal for you!

Here's the scoop...

Derek's team has secretly released a membership sign-up page to a very select handful of their business associates... and I managed to get on this exclusive list.

Between all of us, we've been given permission to give away 250 of these $3.27 Trial Memberships...

(PLUS, he's throwing in a FREE Special Bonus Tool Kit worth $391.00 that contains 3 of the Internet Marketing Center's best-selling Internet marketing tools... eBook Pro Business Edition, 60-Second Salesletters, and Hover Ad Creator...)

But that's it!

Derek is adamant that his team of online experts don't get burnt out -- so he's made it clear that he's considering closing the doors to future members VERY SHORTLY!

So if you'd like the benefit of UNLIMITED Internet marketing advice, including business ideas, website reviews, salescopy advice, traffic secrets, and MORE...

... All from the same team of experts Derek has used to grow his business to over $60 Million in online sales...

... Then you need to move fast and click the link below to claim your $3.27 Trial Membership (which, incidentally, includes TWO incredible FREE Bonus Gifts) before they're all gone and Derek closes the doors!

Click Here Now to Get Your Trial and FREE Gifts.

Where Is The Real Money In Blogging?

noreply@blogger.com (Ian McConnell) — Mon, 26 May 2008 07:05:00 +0000

Image via Wikipedia

There are two types of bloggers in the world - The reporters and the experts.

Expert bloggers will usually perform both roles. It's easy for an expert to report, but it’s hard for a reporter to become an expert.

If you have ever taken an Internet marketing course or attended a seminar specifically for beginners, you have probably heard about the two different methodologies.

Usually these courses and seminars teach people to start as reporters, and if possible, step up as an expert.

I’ll be frank... You Want To Be The Expert!

People buy from experts. Reporters leverage the content of the experts. In most cases people start off as reporters because they haven’t established expertise.

Experts enjoy the perks of preeminence, higher conversion rates because of perceived value. Experts find it easier to get publicity.

Clients are more likely to seek you out rather than you having to seek them out. Joint ventures are easier.

Basically, experts make more money and attract more attention!

Expertise requires experience. You can not become an expert without doing things and learning. New bloggers usually start out without expertise and as a result begin their blogging journey by talking about everything going on in their niche (reporting) and by interviewing and talking about other experts (reporting again).

There’s nothing wrong with reporting of course and for many people it’s a necessity at first until you build up some expertise.

Unfortunately the ratios are pretty skewed when it comes to reporters and experts - there are a lot more reporters than there are experts, hence reporters tend to struggle to gain attention and when they do, they often just enhance the reputation of the expert they are reporting on.

Don’t Replicate Your Teacher

If you have ever spent some time browsing products in the learn Internet marketing niche you will notice a pattern.

Many people first study Internet Marketing from a "guru." The guru teaches how he or she is able to make money online, and very often the view that the student takes is that in order to make money online you have to teach others how to make money online.

The end result of this process is a huge army of amateurs attempting to replicate what their teacher does in the same industry - the Internet marketing industry - not realizing that without expert status based on a proven record and all the perks that come with it, it’s next to impossible to succeed.

Even people, who enjoy marginal success, say for example growing an email list of 1,000 people, then go out and launch a product about how to grow an email list of 1,000 people.

Now I have no problems with that, I think it’s fine to teach beginners and leverage whatever achievements you have, the problem is that people gravitate to the same niche - Internet marketing - and rarely have any key points of differentiation.

How many products out there do you know of that all claim to teach the same things - email marketing, SEO, pay per click, affiliate marketing, and all the sub-niches that fall under the category of Internet marketing.

It’s a saturated market, yet when you see your teachers and other gurus making money teaching others how to make money (and let’s face it - making money as a subject is one of the most compelling) - your natural inclination is to follow in their footsteps.

If the key is to become an expert and you haven’t spent the last 5-10 years making money online, I suggest you look for another niche to establish expertise in.

Report on Your Process, Not Others

The secret to progress from reporter to expert is not to focus on other experts and instead report on your own journey.

When you are learning how to do something and implementing things day by day, or studying other people’s work, you need to take your process and what you do as a result of what you learn, and use it as content for your blog.

It’s okay to talk about experts when you learn something from them, but always relate it to what you are doing.

If you learn a technique from an expert it’s fine to state you learned it from them (and affiliate link to their product too!) But you should then take that technique, apply it to what you are doing and then report back YOUR results, not their’s.

Frame things using your opinion - your stories - and don’t regurgitate the expert comments.

The key is differentiation and personality, not replication.

Expertise comes from doing things most people don’t do and then talking about it. If you do this often enough you wake up one day as an expert, possibly without even realizing how it happened, simply because you were so good at reporting what you did.

You Are Already An Expert

Most people fail to become experts (or perceived as experts) because they don’t leverage what they already know.

Every person who lives a life learns things as they go, takes action every day and knows something about something.

The reason why they never become an expert is because they choose not to (which is fine for some, as not everyone wants to be an expert). But if your goal is to blog your way to expertise and leave the world of reporting behind you have to start teaching and doing so by leveraging real experience.

Experience can come from what you do today and what you have done previously; you just need to take enough steps to demonstrate what you already know, and what you are presently learning along your journey.

I know so many people in my life, who are experts simply by virtue of the life they have lived, yet they are so insecure about what they know, they never commit their knowledge to words for fear of… well, fear!

Blogs and the Web in general, are amazing resources when you leverage them as a communication tool to spread your expertise because of the sheer scope of people they can reach.

If all you ever do is talk to people in person and share your experience using limited communication mediums, you haven’t much hope of becoming an expert.

Take what you know and show other people through blogging, and you might be surprised how people change their perception of you in time.

Reporting Is A Stepping Stone

If your previous experience and expertise is from an area you want to leave behind or you are starting from "scratch", then reporting is the path you must walk, at least for the short term.

Reporting is a lot of fun. Interviewing experts, talking about what other people are doing and just being part of a community is not a bad way to blog.

In many cases people make a career of reporting - journalism is just that. But if you truly want success and exponential results, at some point you will have to stand up and proclaim yourself as someone who is good at something, and then proceed to demonstrate it over and over again.

Have patience and focus on what you do to learn, and then translate that experience into lessons for others. And remember, it’s okay to be a big fish in a small pond, that’s all most experts really are.

This article was by Yaro Starak, a professional blogger and my blog mentor. He is the leader of the Blog Mastermind mentoring program designed to teach bloggers how to earn a full time income blogging part time.

To get more information about Blog Mastermind click the link below:

http://www.ian-mcconnell.com/blog-mastermind.html

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Claim Your Free "How To Make Money While You Sleep" Special Reports Here!

The Top 10 Tips To Drive Traffic To Your Blog!

noreply@blogger.com (Ian McConnell) — Tue, 20 May 2008 02:35:00 +0000

Image via WikipediaIn every bloggers life comes a special day - the day they first launch a new blog. Now unless you went out and purchased someone else''s blog, chances are your blog launched with only one very loyal reader - you.

Maybe a few days later you received a few hits when you told your sister, father, girlfriend and best friend about your new blog but that''s about as far you went when it comes to finding readers.

Here are the top 10 techniques new bloggers can use to find readers. These are tips specifically for new bloggers, those people who have next-to-no audience at the moment and want to get the ball rolling.

It helps if you work on this list from top to bottom as each technique builds on the previous step to help you create momentum. Eventually once you establish enough momentum you gain what is called "traction", which is a large enough audience base (about 500 readers a day is good) that you no longer have to work too hard on finding new readers. Instead your current loyal readers do the work for you through word of mouth.

Top 10 Tips

1 - Write at least five major "pillar" articles.

A pillar article is a tutorial style article aimed to teach your audience something. Generally they are longer than 500 words and have lots of very practical tips or advice. This article you are currently reading could be considered a pillar article since it is very practical and a good "how-to" lesson. This style of article has long term appeal, stays current (it isn’t news or time dependent) and offers real value and insight. The more pillars you have on your blog the better.

2 - Write one new blog post per day minimum.

Not every post has to be a pillar, but you should work on getting those five pillars done at the same time as you keep your blog fresh with a daily news or short article style post. The important thing here is to demonstrate to first time visitors that your blog is updated all the time so they feel that if they come back tomorrow they will likely find something new. This causes them to bookmark your site or subscribe to your blog feed.

You don''t have to produce one post per day all the time but it is important you do when your blog is brand new. Once you get traction you still need to keep the fresh content coming but your loyal audience will be more forgiving if you slow down to a few per week instead. The first few months are critical so the more content you can produce at this time the better.

3 - Use a proper domain name.

If you are serious about blogging be serious about what you call your blog. In order for people to easily spread the word about your blog you need an easily remembed domain name. People often talk about blogs they like when they are speaking to friends in the real world (that''s the offline world, you remember that place right?)

So you need to make it easy for them to spread the word and pass on your URL. Try and get a .com if you can and focus on small easy to remember domains rather than worry about having the correct keywords (of course if you can get great keywords and easy to remember then you’ve done a good job!)

4 - Start commenting on other blogs.

Once you have your pillar articles and your daily fresh smaller articles your blog is ready to be exposed to the world. One of the best ways to find the right type of reader for your blog is to comment on other people’s blogs. You should aim to comment on blogs focused on a similar niche topic to yours since the readers there will be more likely to be interested in your blog.

Most blog commenting systems allow you to have your name/title linked to your blog when you leave a comment. This is how people find your blog. If you are a prolific commenter and always have something valuable to say then people will be interested to read more of your work and hence click through to visit your blog.

5 - Trackback and link to other blogs in your blog posts.

A trackback is sort of like a blog conversation. When you write a new article to your blog and it links or references another blogger''s article you can do a trackback to their entry. What this does is leave a truncated summary of your blog post on their blog entry - it's sort of like your blog telling someone else’s blog that you wrote an article mentioning them. Trackbacks often appear like comments.

This is a good technique because like leaving comments a trackback leaves a link from another blog back to yours for readers to follow, but it also does something very important - it gets the attention of another blogger. The other blogger will likely come and read your post eager to see what you wrote about them. They may then become a loyal reader of yours or at least monitor you and if you are lucky some time down the road they may do a post linking to your blog bringing in more new readers.

6 - Encourage comments on your own blog.

One of the most powerful ways to convince someone to become a loyal reader is to show there are other loyal readers already following your work. If they see people commenting on your blog then they infer that your content must be good since you have readers so they should stick around and see what all the fuss is about. To encourage comments you can simply pose a question in a blog post. Be sure to always respond to comments as well so you can keep the conversation going.

7 - Submit your latest pillar article to a blog carnival.

A blog carnival is a post in a blog that summarizes a collection of articles from many different blogs on a specific topic. The idea is to collect some of the best content on a topic in a given week. Often many other blogs link back to a carnival host and as such the people that have articles featured in the carnival often enjoy a spike in new readers.

To find the right blog carnival for your blog, do a search at blogcarnival.com.

8 - Submit your blog to blogtopsites.com.

To be honest this tip is not going to bring in a flood of new readers but it''s so easy to do and only takes five minutes so it''s worth the effort. Go to Blog Top Sites, find the appropriate category for your blog and submit it. You have to copy and paste a couple of lines of code on to your blog so you can rank and then sit back and watch the traffic come in. You will probably only get 1-10 incoming readers per day with this technique but over time it can build up as you climb the rankings. It all helps!

9 - Submit your articles to EzineArticles.com.

This is another tip that doesn’t bring in hundreds of new visitors immediately (although it can if you keep doing it) but it''s worthwhile because you simply leverage what you already have - your pillar articles. Once a week or so take one of your pillar articles and submit it to Ezine Articles. Your article then becomes available to other people who can republish your article on their website or in their newsletter.

How you benefit is through what is called your "Resource Box". You create your own resource box which is like a signature file where you include one to two sentences and link back to your website (or blog in this case). Anyone who publishes your article has to include your resource box so you get incoming links. If someone with a large newsletter publishes your article you can get a lot of new readers at once.

10 - Write more pillar articles.

Everything you do above will help you to find blog readers however all of the techniques I’ve listed only work when you have strong pillars in place. Without them if you do everything above you may bring in readers but they won’t stay or bother to come back. Aim for one solid pillar article per week and by the end of the year you will have a database of over 50 fantastic feature articles that will work hard for you to bring in more and more readers.

I hope you enjoyed my list of traffic tips. Everything listed above are techniques I’ve put into place myself for my blogs and have worked for me, however it''s certainly not a comprehensive list. There are many more things you can do. Finding readers is all about testing to see what works best for you and your audience and I have no doubt if you put your mind to it you will find a balance that works for you.

This article was by Yaro Starak, a professional blogger and my blog mentor. He is the leader of the Blog Mastermind mentoring program designed to teach bloggers how to earn a full time income blogging part time.

To get more information about Blog Mastermind click this link:

www.BlogMastermind.com

Do you have any other tips to drive traffic to your blog?

Free "How To Make Money While You Sleep" Special Reports Here!

Buying And Selling Websites To Make More Money

noreply@blogger.com (Ian McConnell) — Thu, 15 May 2008 01:10:00 +0000

Like real estate there is money to be made with flipping websites (buy and then on sell) or renovating websites (buy, tweak and then sell.)

Yaro Starak is a blogger I follow closely. His posts are incredibly well written and he is one of those genuine down-to-earth people that has been there and done it. This is what his personal experiences have been...

"I remember my first website sale. I made $13,000 Australian dollars selling a website that I had built from scratch myself. That sale was a big windfall for me and a moment I won’t forget because it was the first time I saw the real potential of online property investment.

Since that sale I’ve gone on to sell more than $150,000 USD in websites. Some of the sites I built myself, investing my own time and sometimes money, while others I have purchased and then sold for a profit at a later date.

I’ve never lost money on a website investment, although I have bought some sites that were not big money spinners - I got out with pretty much the same as I went in with. When profits are made though, the worst I have done is double my money." rest of Yaro's post here...

A Quick SEO Lesson From A Rapper!

noreply@blogger.com (Ian McConnell) — Tue, 13 May 2008 12:46:00 +0000

Who would have thought... An SEO Lesson from a Rapper??

Have a listen, you'll be amazed what you learn...

Please leave your comment below...

And don't forget to click here and Claim Your Free "How To Make Money While You Sleep" Reports!

Why Blogging Is The Easiest Way To Make Money Online!

noreply@blogger.com (Ian McConnell) — Mon, 05 May 2008 07:06:00 +0000

In the few minutes it takes you to read this article, hundreds of new blogs will be created and thousands, upon thousands of posts will have been made, world wide.

The information age we live in, has allowed everyone, from the local teenager to large corporations to jump on to the blogging wagon.

The lure of being able to have a blog installed in under 15 minutes, the incredibly low start-up costs, and the ability to post to that blog from any computer with internet access, has provided many people and corporations with an immediate web presence.

Stories are common place about full time bloggers earning over $100,000 a year while blogging for less than 2 hours a day. And they usually do this while traveling the world!

The most popular blog type for the newbie is one that documents their everyday lives, ramblings and opinions. They use it as a way to express themselves.

Each new blog post generates content which the search engines absolutely love. The conversational and informal nature of blogs usually provides great reading. Readers have the option to easily comment on the posts, providing feedback and their opinions.

Blogs become interactive and service the needs of writers and readers. Video and audio can now easily be inserted on blogs, providing a different experience for all its readers.

All blogs can be monetized with advertising, selling affiliate products or selling your own products. A blog with a great readership will attract high paying advertisers often paying for 6 months advertising in advance.

However, similar to any small business, the abandonment rate of blogs is incredibly high. Bloggers often enjoy the initial novelty of blogging, but if they started blogging to make some extra income, the novelty will wear off quickly if the results don't look promising.

Here are 3 secrets which virtually guarantee success for any blogger:

The First Secret:

A blog must be tightly themed around a niche, with posts that provide benefits for its readers.

If your blog posts do not provide significant value for your readers, they will not return to read any other posts. Remember blogs make money from its readers, so your content must keep them coming back.

Don't make the common mistake of blogging about anything and everything. If someone is reading your gardening blog, they have an interest in gardening. If you start blogging about the new car you just bought, you may lose that reader. They want to read about gardening, not cars.

Your readers are reading your posts with a "what's in it for me" mindset and if its not satisfied they will go somewhere else to find it.

Your blog is similar to an online magazine in many ways, just more informal and updated regularly.

The Second Secret:

Your blog must load fast, look the part and be easy to navigate. When your new readers arrive they should know within 5 seconds which niche you are targeting.

First impressions are everything!

It is very easy to use the default template in any blogging platform, but it will do nothing for your reader's experience. Look around at the successful blogs and you will find customized themes designed to suit their niche.

Customized themes will cost you less than $100, but this is money very well spent, as it will improve your readers experience ten-fold. And make sure you check your blog in various browsers not just Internet Explorer. A blog that looks fantastic in Internet Explorer could look terrible in other browsers.

The Third Secret:

Continuously generate targeted traffic to your blog. A great looking blog with quality content is not worth anything to anyone without consistent and targeted traffic to it.

You need to continuously promote your blog to attract visitors.

With its incredible speed, power and coverage, the internet can distribute a blog post around the world in seconds. A good looking blog fulfilling the needs, wants and desires of its readers can quickly become an authority site, in its niche, providing the owner with a very healthy income.

Have you had any success with blogging, or know of any one that has?

P.S. Don't forget to click here and Claim Your Free "How To Make Money While You Sleep" Reports!

Yaro Starak Lives The Bloggers Dream... Or Does He?

noreply@blogger.com (Ian McConnell) — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 01:48:00 +0000

With an average income of $10,000 per month, working 3 to 4 hours a day, traveling around the world while working... Does Yaro Starak live a bloggers dream?

Lets look at it... say Yaro works 4 hours a day, 350 days a year (got to have some days doing nothing) thats 1,400 hours a year to earn $120,000 ($10,000 x 12) which works out to $85.71 per hour.

That's worst case scenario, because Yaro probably works less hours over the year and his income will be growing as he tweaks his blog. More posts means more exposure to product, more people on his list, more sales, etc.

Also remember, Yaro earns recurring income from people who have joined subscription sites through his affiliate link. So by doing nothing he still earns this income... very nice income!

Yaro's hours are flexible, he can work anywhere in the world (as long as he has an internet connection), he has no-one telling him what to do and he is doing something that he is passionate about... you just need to read his blog posts to feel that.

Granted he's taken 3 years to get to this level of income, and like most of us, started part time until the momentum kicked in... but this gives all newbies hope! And now the time frame can be drastically shortened.

There is so much training online now like Yaro's coaching or the Blog Classroom that what Yaro took 3 years to achieve, others are achieving in half the time or less.

Yaro Starak has got blogging down to a fine art. His blog is clean, crisp and easy to read. He absolutely rocks as a blogger and the best part is that he's a fellow Ozzie... only he lives on the wrong side! :)

He misses all the magical sunsets we get to experience in Western Australia... oh well I guess he can't have everything!

For anyone wanting to start making some money online, blogging is without a doubt the easiest, cheapest and quickest way to go. Within 15 minutes you could have a presence on the web and begin posting in your own voice.

Yaro Starak offers a free report "Blog Profits Blueprint" which is an awesome read and will give you a great idea about blogging and get you started, so you too can live your blogging dream...

Please leave your comment below, I always love reading them and so do my readers...

Rosalind Gardner And The Blog Classroom Neglect The Blogger Blogs

noreply@blogger.com (Ian McConnell) — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 06:42:00 +0000

Image via Wikipedia

Rosalind Gardner and Anik Singal have done Wordpress proud.

For years I've been persisting with my blogger blogs... thinking "it's owned by Google, so from an SEO stand point its gotta be a good thing!"

Well Rosalind and Anik have done a superb job with the free content they are providing at Blog Classroom and I'm convinced that Wordpress is the way to go. The plugins, the customization, the flexibility and the look of Wordpress blogs make it an absolute no-brainer way to go.

So what to do with my blogger blogs? Is there a way to convert them or maybe just set them up in a new directory with the last blogger post saying "Click here for our new blog."

I can't wait to see the product Rosalind and Anik release on the 29th April. I bet it's a ripper! Rosalind Gardner always produces great products as seen with the "Super Affiliate Handbook." This is a very comprehensive ebook that will help any newbie make affiliate sales in a short time.

The Blog Classroom is going to be a crowd pleaser... another great education is watching their product launch and all their rabid fans commenting to their hearts content... its a wonderful sight!

eBay Policy Changes = More Money For Me AND YOU!!

noreply@blogger.com (Ian McConnell) — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 04:56:00 +0000

As of tomorrow, eBay will not allow sales of digitally delivered products, as an auction listing. But you can still sell them via their classified ads, provided you have an external site to do that with.

So what does that mean?

Well I think it's a good thing. It's certainly been good for me as I have become a very lazy seller on eBay, because of all the automation. Months ago I thought that I should convert my ebooks into physical products, but just never got around to it.

It is very easy to become complacent, while making money online. Frustrating in the beginning as you test and test... and test! But when something starts selling, the laziness seems to set in. Its easier to move onto the next best thing.

So the eBay deadline has been like a size 12 kicking me in the butt... And I'll probably end up making more money!!

So, thanks eBay... I needed someone to pull the rug out!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ian McConnell is an average guy who realized very quickly that wealth will not come from having a JOB... for more than 6 years he has generated more than $100,000 pa from home, while working part time.

To find out everything he knows:
Click Here => http://www.Ian-McConnell.com/Success.html
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What Is Your Flight Plan?

noreply@blogger.com (Ian McConnell) — Fri, 18 Jan 2008 12:47:00 +0000

If you are anything like I used to be, you will have already accumulated and read enough information to create a million dollar income... If not more... But for some reason you just don't take the information and use it to the full extent!

Question - How many times have you had an idea, got excited about it, but then a few days later the excitement had died down, and you didn't do anything about it?

I know of many obscure websites, blogs, eBay stores and small business that were started from a simple idea. The owners may have lost the initial excitement, but they decided to persevere, because you should never discount an idea!

Any idea you have, should be tested, as you just never know!!

I know of:

Personalized Santa letters to kids, that generate the owner more than $100,000 over the holidays,
to ebooks that were written by ghost writers in a week, generating $250,000 pa,
to free My Space layouts generating more than $1,000,000 pa from contextual advertising on the site,
and the list goes on...

These were simple ideas that were acted upon!!

But it's not your fault... You see, you are not alone! The majority of us will think of an idea and never carry it through, but Brian Tracy has the answer with Flight Plan - Brian Tracy's Newest Book + Bonus CDs!

Here's an excerpt from Brian Tracy's Flight Plan:

"The three most important steps, discovered and re-discovered by virtually every successful person, are these:

Decide exactly what you want, write it down and make a plan to achieve it. Decide upon your destination.
Take action. Launch toward your goal. Step out in faith. Take the first step with no guarantee of success. Take off on your journey.
Be prepared to make continual course corrections every hour and every day of your life as you fly toward your destination. Expect an inevitable, unavoidable, and unbroken series of problems, difficulties, reversals, setbacks, and crises every day and week of your life. Since you cannot avoid them, your aim must be to respond to them effectively.

Make a decision right now to set your goal. Take off and make continual course corrections until you achieve all that is possible for you."

Flight Plan - Brian Tracy's Newest Book + Bonus CDs!

>>> Home

What The Heck Are You Waiting For?

noreply@blogger.com (Ian McConnell) — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 02:25:00 +0000

Really, what are you waiting for?

You do want Financial freedom don't you? You want to spend your life doing what you want to do, not having to worry about where the next dollar is coming from, not having to cringe when you collect the post and see all the bills?

I'm reading "The Millionaire Next Door" by Thomas J. Stanley and William D. Danko. They say "The median (typical) household in America has a net worth of less than $15,000, excluding home equity."

That is scary, and yet is so easy to change. My Saturday morning task is to update my score sheets... I calculate my cash flow for the financial year up to that date, then I update my Net Worth Statement, and then I compare them to my goals. You see, I believe if you are not keeping score of your life then it's like playing cricket or soccer without keeping score... It becomes pointless! Maybe fun short term but mostly pointless long term.

Now my Wife sometimes doesn't agree, because while I'm thinking that the $1,000 I've just earned will buy some great blue chip shares, my Wife is wanting the latest gym equipment... so we have to draw a line in the sand! I admit that when I'm on a mission, I tend to get overly focused... if that's possible... oops!

This is what Brian Tracy has to say:

The world seems to belong to those who reach out and grab it with both hands. It belongs to those who do something rather than just wish and hope and plan and pray, and intend to do something someday, when everything is just right.

Successful people are not necessarily those who make the right decisions all the time. No one can do that, no matter how smart he is. But once successful people have made a decision, they begin moving toward their objectives step-by-step, and they begin to get feedback or signals to tell them where they're off course and when course corrections are necessary. As they take action and move toward their goals, they continually get new information that enables them to adjust their plans in large and small ways.

It's important to understand that life is a series of approximations and course adjustments. Let me explain. When an airplane leaves Chicago for Los Angeles, it is off course 99 percent of the time. This is normal and natural and to be expected. The pilot makes continual course corrections, a little to the north, a little to the south. The pilot continually adjusts altitude and throttle. And sure enough, several hours later, the plane touches down at exactly the time predicted when it first became airborne upon leaving Chicago. The entire journey has been a process of approximations and course adjustments.

What's the big problem? The big problem is that there are no guarantees in life. Everything you do, even crossing the street, is filled with uncertainty. You can never be completely sure that any action or behavior is going to bring about the desired result. There is always a risk. And where there is risk, there is fear. And whatever you think about grows in your mind and heart. People who think continually about the risks involved in any undertaking soon become preoccupied with fears and doubts and anxieties that conspire to hold them back from trying in the first place.

So, go out and achieve, test that idea you have, explore new options, stop waiting for tomorrow, stop waiting for the stars to align, or the bank balance to be just right, because it never will!!

I look forward to your comments...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ian McConnell is an average guy who realized very quickly that wealth will not come from having a JOB... for more than 6 years he has generated more than $100,000 pa from home, while working part time.

To find out everything he knows:
Click Here => http://www.Ian-McConnell.com/Success.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

4 Ways To Create Cash Flow While Building Your Home Based Business!

noreply@blogger.com (Ian McConnell) — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 00:44:00 +0000

I remember starting my home based business, like it was yesterday... I had tried for months to create an income online, when I got home from work. A blog post here, a promotion there, some research on the weekend... Working late into the night!

But it was hard, because I was working while the Wife and kids were watching TV, and I found myself constantly distracted. After a few months, I realized that to make it really work, I had to treat my home based business as a business.

I had to commit, give it my all, just like I would if I had opened a brick and mortar type business. I had to believe it would work and just do it!

The scariest thing was giving up the income. But on paper, the advantages of owning a successful home based business far out-weighed that constant income. And with time, my income would be far, far better.

I knew my home based business would be the ticket to my freedom!

The worst moment, like mine, in your home based business, will be starting. You will be wondering... How long will it take to replace the income I was so used to getting?

The short answer is... It is directly proportional to the effort you put in!

You see the strategy to owning a home based business is simple:

Research to find a hungry market that is buying,
Create a product that they want,
And then promote it.

But this strategy takes time to put into place... It could take 3 to 12 months to see income from this model, if you work hard at it. The income may be great when it does happen, but you need to survive after your savings run out :(

So how do you survive:

Sell on eBay - It's quick and easy... You have millions of buyers waiting to buy. Start by selling anything you have around the house that you don't need or want. Then ask friends and family for stuff they don't need or want. Once you become confident and know how to research and determine your profit margins you could buy product from markets and resell them. A great home study course to learn all the eBay techniques you will ever need is available at http://www.profitfitness.com/insiderebaysecrets.html
Find work at www.Elance.com - People are always being sourced to write articles, blog posts, reports, translate works or do research for others. Once you establish a reputation, this type of work usually becomes very consistent and profitable. You also get to see what other home based business owners are doing!
Sell other peoples products - There are an abundance of products out there (information and physical), which will pay handsome commissions if you sell them. They can be found with a Google search. Free blogs can be set up within minutes, providing you a base to sell these.
Take on a part time job - Find a job for a few days a week that will supplement the other cash flow strategies you have in place.

Where there is a will there is a way! Treat your home based business as a business. Wake up each day with a plan... Initially that plan may be "How can I add another cash flow stream today?" But that plan should also include the overall strategy - The BIG Picture!

Ian McConnell is an average guy who realized very quickly that wealth will not come from having a JOB... for more than 6 years he has generated more than $100,000 pa from home, while working part time.

To find out everything he knows:
Click Here => http://www.Ian-McConnell.com/Success.html

Ready, FIRE, Aim!

noreply@blogger.com (Ian McConnell) — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 12:37:00 +0000

I love reading good books and this book is one of those absolute must haves...

Ready, Fire, Aim: Zero to $100 Million in No Time Flat

This is what it says on the inside cover:

If you had the opportunity to work where, when, and with whom you wanted - all while getting paid very well - would you take it? Self-made multimillionaire and bestselling author Michael Masterson did, and with Ready, Fire, Aim he'll show you how to do the same.

Whether you're thinking about starting a new business or growing an existing one, Ready, Fire, Aim has what you need to succeed in your entrepreneurial endeavors. In it, Masterson shares the knowledge he has gained from creating and expanding numerous businesses and outlines a focused strategy for guiding a small business through the four stages of entrepreneurial growth.

Along the way, Masterson teaches you the different skills needed in order to excel in this dynamic environment.

While some of the concepts covered may seem novel, all of them have been proven to work time and again. Among other things, you'll discover:

Why selling is your first business priority and the one thing you should never stop doing
The handful of numbers that are critical to every business
When to cut your losses short and when to let your winners run
The front-end/back-end method of doubling profits easily
Why having a Plan B is as important as Plan A, and when and how to create it
The difference between pushers, thinkers, organizers, and sellers, and how to attract the ones you need for your business

Over the course of his remarkably successful career, Michael Masterson has helped start and develop dozens of multi million-dollar businesses, including one whose revenues exceeded $135 million and another still growing at $300 million.

Now, with Ready, Fire, Aim, he'll show you how to make your way to the top by designing powerful marketing campaigns that will regularly outsell your competitors; implementing innovative operational procedures that will reduce costs and hassles; and using the revolutionary power of the Internet to reduce customer complaints and increase profits.

To start and grow multi million-dollar businesses over and over again you have to master certain skills. Ready, Fire, Aim reveals what those skills are and shows you how to quickly master them. Filled with in-depth insights and expert advice, this remarkable guide for entrepreneurs gives you a blueprint for business and financial success that will allow you to enjoy life to its fullest.

Ready, Fire, Aim: Zero to $100 Million in No Time Flat

Why Should Cash Flow Be Your TOP PRIORITY!

noreply@blogger.com (Ian McConnell) — Sat, 05 Jan 2008 01:09:00 +0000

Working from home and escaping my JOB (Just Over Broke) has been the most liberating thing I have ever done, and I am truly very thankful to be able to do this. It has provided me with an amazing quality of life.

But it always amazes me to watch, or hear, from others that tend to over complicate this simple idea of owning a home based business. They spend their lives arranging their structure; the quiet area, the specially organized desk, the right computer, getting and reading every email and ebook they come across... but they forget about the top priority of any home based business...

CASH FLOW

You can have the best set up office at home, with oodles of quiet time, access to every bit of quality information that you require, the best courses on building your home based business on your book shelf, but, without cash flow you are dead in the water...

Your top priority before any other priority has to be... CASH FLOW!!

I have a simple form on my desk at all times, titled "My Income Streams." It lists the description all of my income streams, with the average income they produce every month, with a total at the bottom.

This document is my reminder that every day I need to be adding income streams to this list. No matter how small or how big, because usually the big ones are irregular and the smaller ones all add up quickly.

My income streams may be as simple as listing a resale rights ebook on eBay for $6.99, that automatically relists whether sold or not... or an ebook I've created and am selling with a sales page.

Every week day my goal is to add another income stream to that list.

Now don't get me wrong, as not all the income streams are profitable. Sometimes that ebook on eBay just doesn't sell, so I'll change the title, tweak the listing and if it still doesn't sell, it gets deleted.

I find that out of every 10 income streams I add, more than half will be profitable, and 1 will be a roaring success. I LOVE roaring successes :)

Sometimes I work very late at night because I'm in the zone. During the school holidays the kids are a bit noisy or the family might want to go out for a Chinese lunch so I work around those... but that is exactly what a home based business is about... FREEDOM!

And freedom gives you a wonderful lifestyle.

So make it your top priority... BEFORE you do anything in your day, think "How can I add another income stream to my list today" and do it before the other tasks consume your day.

Remember CASH FLOW IS KING!!

Happy New Year

noreply@blogger.com (Ian McConnell) — Thu, 03 Jan 2008 14:04:00 +0000

Happy New year and all the very best to my readers for 2008... may it be the year that all your goals are achieved.

I read somewhere that 2008 is the beginning, the start... because 2 + 0 + 0 + 8 = 10 and 1 + 0 = 1. I also read somewhere that 1 is my lucky number and, believing that I create my own luck, I am ecstatic about the success I am going to achieve in 2008.

My journal was updated with my 12 month and 5 year goals before the clock struck 12. My office and life was decluttered and everything cleaned and organised to go, go, GO in 2008!!

I intend bringing you so much more cash flow generation ideas this year so stay tuned as I have some big ideas...

It's Up to YOU...

noreply@blogger.com (Ian McConnell) — Fri, 14 Dec 2007 12:29:00 +0000

Life is a do-it-for-others, do-it-yourself project.

Stop Stewing and start doing!

Take action TNT (Today NOT Tomorrow.)

Life is not accountable to us for meaning; we are accountable to life!

Don't put success and happiness on layaway.

DO IT NOW!

Everything that is past is either a learning experience to grow on, a beautiful memory to reflect on, or a motivating factor to act upon.

You have been given the greatest power in the world, the power to choose.

Giant oaks do grow from little acorns; but first you must have an acorn!

By thinking and acting affirmatively in this minute, you will influence the hour, the day and in time, your entire life.

You are your own scriptwriter and the play is never finished, no matter what your age or position in life.

excerpts from The Seeds of Greatness Treasury by Dennis Waitley

DO IT NOW, ITS UP TO YOU!

If You Fail to Plan, You Plan To WIN!!

noreply@blogger.com (Ian McConnell) — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 08:14:00 +0000

Huh... That turns the age old saying "If you fail to plan, you plan to fail" right on its head!

But Stephen Pierce has got a point...

He says that it is not possible to plan in a contested environment... because of the unpredictability.

And so, by not planning you can actually win, provided you have a strategy.

Like driving your car from one place to another. You can have a strategy such as I'll drive from point A, turn left then stop at point B. I'll drive at the speed limit, I'll try and anticipate what the other drivers will do in my path, etc.

But, you can't plan the trip because there are factors out of your control, like another driver turning in front of you, delays, etc.

A plan only works in a controlled environment, like baking a cake in your kitchen. You have a recipe, you know exactly what ingredients are required, how long it needs to be baked, etc.

So, your home based business needs a strategy not a plan. You can't have a plan because you can't control most of the outcomes.

A strategy allows flexibility and gets rid of any tunnel vision... And your home based business is shaped by the strategy outcomes.

For the full story go to: http://www.dtalpha.com/talkback/?p=6

My Secret Weapon!

noreply@blogger.com (Ian McConnell) — Mon, 10 Dec 2007 06:34:00 +0000

Jim Rohn says "If you are serious about becoming a wealthy, powerful, sophisticated, healthy, influential, cultured and unique individual, keep a journal. Don't trust your memory. When you listen to something valuable, write it down. When you come across something important, write it down."

Jim goes on to say that he used to write notes on bits of paper, backs of envelopes and ended up with a drawer full of bits of paper. Then he found that the best way to organize those ideas was with a journal.

I used to be the same, until I took Jim's advice and started using a journal.

He sells these great 250 page leather journals that are small enough to be carried anywhere, but big enough to capture the ideas, thoughts, drawings, sketches and what ever else I decide to put into it.

In my journal I enter my information in date and time order. And at the back of my journal I have an index where I categorise the important ideas with page numbers, like:
"Income Ideas - page 32, 41, 76."

I've found this works best for me, as I used to dedicate pages for certain areas but I seemed to end up with bits and pieces all over the place.

I also find that by putting everything in date and time order that I see distinct trends in my thinking - positive or negative. By re-reading my journal weekly I quickly identify any trends that are not going to help me succeed, and then I can adjust them accordingly.

I always record any strong emotions I feel... In fact I think this is undoubtedly the best part of this process. If I'm down or depressed, I'll write about it in great detail... what I'm feeling, what I think caused it, what I'm going to do about it. Nobody else reads my journal so I don't hold back and in almost every case just by writing about it helps tremendously to deal with the emotion.

I've also found that by re-reading my journal I usually see exactly what triggered that emotion and can do things differently next time. I love my journal mostly for this reason but it has many, many other great benefits.

When I feel on top of the world... I write about it and make sure I do more of what ever it was that created that emotion.

My journal is a story book of my life, but I've found it to be an invaluable tool to my success. It is also great to have everything in one place, and also makes for very good reading...

Jim sells his journals for $29 which is a great price considering the paper is amazing, it is leather bound and gold lined. You could use a notebook, like I used t,o but from my experience a $2 notebook fills up with $10 ideas where a $29 journal attracts the $1,000,000 ideas... you tend to be more careful about what you put into a leather bound, gold lined more expensive journal.

However it's important that you personally like the look, feel and smell of your journal. If you like it you will want to take it where ever you go. You will fill it with your best thoughts, ideas and emotions. It will become the secret to your success.

Click here for more info

The One BIG Secret to MASSIVE Returns.

noreply@blogger.com (Ian McConnell) — Wed, 05 Dec 2007 10:24:00 +0000

Have you ever read or heard about a money making scheme, tried it, and made a few dollars...

So you kept trying and made a few more dollars...

Then a few weeks went by, and you decided to get the calculator out... You divided your total earnings up to that point by the hours you've spent on the money making scheme...

Oops... You calculated that you had been working for $0.50 per hour!

So you ditch that money making scheme, because $0.50 per hour is just not worth the effort... And off you go looking for the next money making, get rich quick scheme?

Sound familiar?

I know you've done it... come on admit it! I know I've done it at least 30 times.

I went for years searching for that magic silver bullet...

Minimal effort for a Huge return while I sleep!! The dream...

And guess what?? It does not exist.
I'll say that again... IT DOES NOT EXIST!! (Yes I'm shouting.)

Huge returns come from huge efforts. There is absolutely no getting away from it.

When you learn of a home based business, or money making scheme, producing big $$$, (no matter what the sales material says,) it will take a big effort... But with persistence and patience you will get there, no matter who you are.

But the BIG secret is compounding... YES... Compounding.

You see the $0.50 per hour will slowly become $0.75, then $1.00, then maybe $1.10. But the next time you look it's jumped up to $200.00 and $300.00 per hour. Yeeehaaa!!

This might have taken 12 months... but who cares, lets celebrate!!

All it takes is persistence, patience and time. The longer you keep at it, the bigger the network you build, the more educated you become, the more things flow easier and so on.

Consider this...

If you are share trading, would you consider a 1% return per trade worth your time?
What if you did 2 of those trades per week starting with a $5,000 float?

Would you believe me that in 5 years and 9 weeks you would have a float of over $1,000,000?

That's without topping up your float along the way!
Without having to look at a chart!
Without having to do any technical analysis!
Without having to spend more than 20 minutes a day on this strategy...

Get the full story here...

Stock Market Trading ROCKS!!

noreply@blogger.com (Ian McConnell) — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 08:42:00 +0000

Man I Love the stock market... with limited funds I can buy shares of a massive company managed by the best entrepreneurs and profit from it.

The best parts are:

1 - You don't need money

In fact, you can practically get started with as little as $1,000 and can still make $1,000,000.00 in 5 years or less.

Increase your initial amount and you can achieve the target of 1 Million in much lesser time. All you need is a desire to make money, consistency and the determination.

2 - You don’t have to waste your time doing unnecessary research

You absolutely don't need to spend hours reading charts, doing technical analysis and stuff like that.

3 - You don't need to be a rocket-scientist

The concepts are extremely easy and you don't need to be highly knowledgeable to understand the strategy.

A 10 year old kid can understand them in 30 minutes and implement them instantly.

4 - No more Complex Theories

There is no need to learn about Gann, Fibonacci or Bollinger, or anything like that.

It can be a fail proof method to easily, quickly and, most importantly, consistently make money from the stock market.

5 - Never Pay Again For Software, Subscription etc.

You don't need to pay for expensive subscriptions, tips, books, systems, seminars etc.

To read the rest of the story... click here

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How PASSION Defines Your Quality of Life.

noreply@blogger.com (Ian McConnell) — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 11:54:00 +0000

Passion... the meaning is,
1. strong barely controllable emotion.
2. strong enthusiasm.

If you feel unsatisfied, unhappy or unfulfilled in your life you lack passion... right?

So why do so many people stick with a JOB that they are not passionate about. And being 'Just Over Broke' for most of their lives, retire and then die?

Is it fear? Fear of not being able to pay the bills... fear of not holding true on their responsibility to support the family?

Fear is a terrible thing and deprives people of their quality of life.

Or, is it that people just don't really know what they are passionate about, I mean really deep down passionate about.

Or, if they do know, they have no idea how to make money from their passions...

To read more click here...
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Secrets of Small Business Owners Exposed

noreply@blogger.com (Ian McConnell) — Sat, 01 Dec 2007 14:18:00 +0000

If you are one of the millions of small businesses struggling to survive, then this book will give you the inspiration you will need.

In fact this book should be compulsory reading for every person owning, or even contemplating, a small business.

15 small business owners, who mostly started with nothing and are now making it big, are interviewed up close and personal.

Dale (the author/ compiler) gets them to expose some of the truths they wouldn't ordinarily reveal...

Creative ways to raise money,
Low cost marketing techniques,
How to find ambitious and loyal staff,
How to develop life-long customers,
How to buy established and profitable businesses for very little money,
How to expand and tap into international markets,
How to juggle your business, personal and family lives,

are just some of the amazing tricks and tips you will learn... Great reading.