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Web Copy That Sells: The Revolutionary Formula for Creating Killer Copy Every Time Review

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(More customer reviews)Ms. Veloso is a specialist in writing the kind of copy which sells online courses and other one-per-website items. Because these items often have high selling prices, they take a lot of long, intense, hard selling to convince buyers to pull the trigger. If you're trying to sell a book, course, get rich quick scheme, diet plan, etc., this book will give you great advice on how to write hard-hitting sales copy.
However, if you, like me, wanted advice more about selling a bunch of products in a more traditional e'commerce catalog with hundreds of products, you won't find such info here. SOME of what she says applies to that type of writing, but if I were to use her hard-hitting sales techniques on my customers, it would put them off and make my site seem a little too miuch like a used car lot. A better choice: Catalog Copy That Sizzles by Herschell Gordon Lewis. Also Persuasive Online Copywriting by Bryan and Jeff Eisenberg will give you much of the same information but without the hard sell.
Now, that said, Veloso does give lots of information about the psychology of sales that is helpful (so do the Eisenbergs in their book Call To Action). And there are many, many tips here for other kinds of e'commerce that work WITH a catalog, partuclarly email, autoresponders, SIG files, how to avoid SPAM blockers, etc.
My goal for any business, advertising, or marketing book is to get at least one solid idea that I can put into practice...if I get at least one, the book was worth the cost. And I got a lot of "keeper" ideas from ths book. Also, I judge books by whether I feel like selling them on Amazon afterwards or whether they stay on my bookshelf as a reference. This one will stay on the shelf.

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What Does God Know About Business?: Making the right decisions in tough times. Review

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(More customer reviews)By sharing his "simple" walk with God in his business and life, Nico takes you Back to the Basics of having a child like faith in God. This book inspired me to do the basics God expect from me (just spending time with Him and doing what He says), right and to trust Him for everything!

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What does God know about business?is the autobiographical account of asuccessful South African businessman'sconversion, and of his steadfast determinationto involve God in all aspectsof his business and his personal life.This moving testimony explores theways in which each of us can bring Godinto our everyday lives, and toucheson such deeply personal and spiritualissues as integrity, adversity, the fear offailure, lust, materialism, pride, debt-freeliving and burnout. It provides practicalguidelines on how to counteract someof these "red lights on the dashboard oflife", and is supported by the author'sown inspiring experiences of God'sinfluence in his life.Whether you are tired of spiritualmediocrity or are just looking fordown-to-earth answers to some oflife's many challenges, What does Godknow about business? will motivate andenergize you. This story of one man'sjourney with God will encourage youto develop the kind of faith that putsGod at the centre of your life, both athome and in the workplace.

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Perform Like A Rock Star and Still Have Time for Lunch Review

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(More customer reviews)This is a very readable book. The chapters are short and I find they make me want to act on the great suggestions made. Each chapter provides actions you can implement to get the results you desire. There is no question what to do to be successful.... the only question is how fast you're willing to do it. I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed and valued this book.
It was so useful to me, I wanted to be able to take it everywhere, so I bought it on my Kindle, too!!

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Everyone wants to be a star at some point in their life. Become a true leader, a real mover, and quite simply, someone who people can count on to makes things happen. Inside the pages of Perform Like a Rock Star and Still Have Time for Lunch you can uncover ways to attain whole new levels in your own personal peak performance that can bring you greater success and fulfillment in your career - than you ever thought possible - and still have time for lunch . . . and so much more.

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Business Success in Tough Times Review

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(More customer reviews)It's not easy running a business at any time, but when the
economy turns downward, things become even more
difficult . . . so that's why BUSINESS SUCCESS IN
TOUGH TIMES by Neil Raphel, Janis Raye and Adrienne Raphel
is particularly relevant--and helpful to anybody involved in running
and/or working for just about any size enterprise.
The authors present many examples of businesses who
have faced tough times, but have managed to not only
survive--but also prosper . . . I particularly liked the range
of organizations that were featured, running the gamut
from a doctor practicing medicine the old-fashioned way
to a major hotel change.
Some I recognized, such as Netflix; others I had never
heard about, such as St. Johnsbury Academy in
Vermont . . . and one story (how casino gambling
managed to succeed in Atlantic City) got me to see
the value of collaboration and the need to:
* Think cooperation, not competition.
Businesses have been joining together in informal groups for
many years to act as a larger organization for discounts, obtaining
insurance, or joint advertising. You can even collaborate with someone
in the same business as yours--most people want to shop in more
than one place for the same kind of goods.
Collaboration, incidentally, is one of the nine chapter
headings . . . the others also point to key strategies for business
success: Adaptability, Customer Service, Diversity, Growth, Loyalty,
Niche Marketing, Perseverance and Planning.
The amazing thing is that nothing you do involves anything more difficult
than listening to your customer:
* At Superquinn, Feargal Quinn went a step further than Amazon.
He instituted a program to reward customers who found faults with
his products or services. Through his loyalty points program, he
awarded bonus points to customers who found things wrong in the
Superquinn operation. 300 points for a shopping cart with a broken
wheel (or, as the Irish would say, a "wobbly trolley"): 400 points for
finding milk still in the case after its expiration date; 100 points for a
sign with a misspelled word. Quinn claims that by enlisting his
customers to find mistakes, he didn't have to hire quality control
personnel. His customers did all the work for him.
And sometimes, thinking outside the box helps:
* Figuring out what your business does best and concentrating on that
can work on a micro or macro sale. Matthew Burak is a woodworker
based in Vermont who started his career doing custom-designed furniture.
Over time, he met hundreds of woodworking enthusiasts who enjoyed
amateur projects but weren't always able to create the more complex
sections that required more skill and technical expertise. He recognized
a need for those parts and started a business producing just the table
legs. According to Burak, people can make the top of a table out of
many different materials, but turning wooden table legs requires
equipment most people don't have. His business, Classic Designs
by Matthew Burak, specializes in providing wooden table legs of
all sizes to both amateur wood workers and professional contractors.
In the past ten years, the business has grown exponentially, primarily
through Internet sales from its website, [...].
My only disappointment in reading BUSINESS SUCCESS IN
TOUGH TIMES was that it only contained 142 pages . . . it left
me wanting more, which I guess I'll have to wait for until
Raphel, Raye and Raphel come out with their next book.

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Warren Buffett on Business: Principles from the Sage of Omaha Review

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(More customer reviews)With the main exception of a relatively small textile producer known as Berkshire Hathaway, which Warren Buffett bought outright and which became the springboard for his investing career, the earlier part of Buffett's long and successful career was mainly devoted to non-controlling investments in companies, versus buying whole companies. Thus, today many people think of Buffett as "the world's most successful investor." However, Buffett's investing skills are not the primary topic of this relatively brief and easy reading book (although there is one chapter on personal investing). This book, written by Richard Connors and based on a class he taught about Buffett at the Washington University in St. Louis Lifelong Learning Institute, is devoted to describing Buffett's management activities as CEO of Berkshire Hathaway. That's not a bad idea at all, given that over the years Buffett has gradually placed comparatively less emphasis on Berkshire's investments (which today include the likes of American Express, Coca-Cola and Wells Fargo) and greater emphasis on Berkshire's growing stable of wholly-owned subsidiaries. Indeed, the list of owned companies, like GEICO, International Dairy Queen, Shaw Industries, FlightSafety, Borsheim's Fine Jewelry, Nebraska Furniture Mart and The Pampered Chef, among numerous others, has grown quite large.
The prime source for this book--by far--is Buffett's annual letters to Berkshire's shareholders, written over the last 40 years. Indeed, if you were to count words, my guess is that 95% or more of this book is simply the reproduction of Buffett's comments in his various letters, organized by Connors, the book's author. So if you have read Buffett's letters over the years (an exercise I would recommend to almost anyone interested in business or investing), then you won't find much new material in this book, save for excerpts from occasional interviews with Charlie Rose or excerpts from some of Buffett's other interviews or comments.
Connors has organized Buffett's shareholder commentaries into chapters that address the various important issues of corporate management: executive compensation, time management, assessment of risk, corporate governance and culture, crisis management, capital allocation and shareholder communication, among others. Buffett's comments are interesting, valuable and candid, and he is a very clear and entertaining writer. There is some human interest material, such as an account of Buffett's 1951 Saturday trip to Washington, DC to visit the offices of GEICO (because his mentor, Benjamin Graham, was the chairman of the company). As the somewhat well-known story goes, Buffett pounded on the door to GEICO's locked building, until a custodian finally led him to meet Lorimer Davidson, an assistant to GEICO's president at the time. Davidson, who would go on to become CEO of GEICO, took the time to educate young Buffett on the power of direct marketing of insurance, and years later Buffett would go on to buy the whole company.
In short, although there is precious little new material provided here (hence the four-star rating, not five), this is a very interesting book, and it is interesting primarily because it was essentially written by Warren Buffett, one of the most successful investors--and corporate managers--of all time.

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War Paint: Madame Helena Rubinstein and Miss Elizabeth Arden, Their Lives, Their Times, Their Rivalry Review

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(More customer reviews)This is such a juicy story. Elizabeth Arden and Helena Rubinstein were two glamorous divas, who come to life and the stories of their personal and business lives are fascinating. The author describes the rivalry between these two women with rich details, describing how their animosity fueled their growing empires. The story is even more interesting because of the times in which they lived, and Woodhead does a great job of explaining their very glamorous social circles. I can't wait to share this book with my friends, especially those who love fashion.

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Outsourcing Your Business For Higher Profits: Learn The Secret To Business Outsourcing And Increase Your Income While Freeing Up Your Time With This Outsourcing Strategy Review

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(More customer reviews)This book explains in detail both the advantages and disadvantages of outsourcing, what parts of your business you can outsource, how to evaluate to find the right people and how you can measure their output. It is an excellent reference about outsourcing, very basic and straightforward guide.

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Thrive on Pressure: Lead and Succeed When Times Get Tough Review

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(More customer reviews)Graham's book is a thoughtful, research based approach to developing strategies for coping under pressure. The strong mix of anecdotes and exercises allows people to create a personalized approach. Strongly recommended for anyone interested in stepping up their performance.

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How to Save Your Business and Make it Grow in Tough Times Review

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(More customer reviews)I was hesitant to purchase this book because I knew I would have to take action.
I have a small company and I had been in denial with with my finances. I was too scared to open my bank statements.
This book taught me to be proactive and fight for my company. Following Gene's examples, I made some difficult phone calls and was surprised at how receptive my creditors were. I was so encouraged I made a business plan and I have been very pleased at how simple it was once I wrote down my goals.
I would recommend this book to anyone who values their business and is ready to make it grow.
Gene's approach is direct and to the point. His Interview Section and Scripts were both helpful and reaffirming. I saw myself in so many scenarios.
This book is a must for any "How To" library.

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Is fear holding you back from taking the action needed to turn your business around and make it grow?Your business doesn't have to be the next victim of economic disaster. No matter how bleak your situation may be, there is hope for a brighter future.Gene Pepper, an experienced business turnaround consultant and Stanford University graduate, shares his best insider strategies on how to take control over your business, stop the bleeding and turn a difficult situation into real business growth in his ground-breaking new book: "How to Save Your Business and Make it Grow in Tough Times."This hefty guide is loaded with real-world advice that you won't find anywhere else. You will learn how to:'Identify the early warning signs of trouble'Take a hard look at the problems you have been avoiding'Solve cash flow troubles and regain control'Evaluate your management structure and make necessary improvements'Understand the difference between cash and profit'Analyze your customers and improve relations'Communicate with your team, vendors and creditorsOnce you have assessed the damage, you will begin developing a plan to move from survive to thrive. You will learn key strategies for turning your company into a top brand, how to develop a bulletproof business plan and how to build a better business so that you never have to worry about the future again.A huge collection of bonus materials include:'Sample scripts for communicating with your bank, creditors, and employees'More than a dozen real-life case studies of businesses that went from the brink of disaster to unprecedented success'Chapters on how to sell your business and how to buy a business'The author's personal rolodex of contacts and resources The longer you wait, the harder it will be to turn the corner. This book provides the answers you need to take back control and build a better, stronger company. Don't live another day in fear and turmoil. Now is the time to get out of denial and take action.About the AuthorGene Pepper is a business consultant and turnaround expert who has been selling, buying and helping companies for over 40 years. His early training as a Marine Corps infantry officer gave him a solid foundation in developing strategic plans with defined objectives. He is a graduate of Stanford University and throughout his business career has served on corporate boards as well as non-profit boards where his fine leadership qualities were strikingly effective. Visit Gene Pepper online at www.HowToSaveYourBusiness.com.

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Power of An Hour: Business and Life Mastery in One Hour A Week Review

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(More customer reviews)This book is an amazingly thorough, dense, content-packed work that should be on every business person's bookshelf. It is a tremendous resource for business consultants and coaches as well as the business owner. Dave Lakhani offers an effective system to implement not just change, but mastery in your business and personal life.
That being said, this book is not for everyone. In some ways, this is a difficult book. The exercises that Dave leads you through are thorough and and you will end up asking yourself some hard questions. Fortunately, you only have to tackle it an hour at a time. Dave doesn't do things half-way; his attitude seems to be "Why wouldn't you want to be the best in whatever you do?" The man is ferocious.
In that regard, I think this book is brutal and will weed out all but the people most determined to get their businesses and their lives to a level of excellence. And maybe that is okay. Too many people are happy comparing themselves favorably to mediocre competition. Let the slackers read the feel-good, warm-fuzzy books. This book is designed for people who work on a level of excellence and demand more from themselves and their lives.

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Praise for The Power of an Hour"The master at getting what you want from others now tells us how to get what we want from ourselves! This is really a great book, and I recommend it highly-for you, for your team, and for your children."-Bob Burg, author, Endless Referrals"If you want to make predictable, systematic change in your life or your business, buy this book. Each chapter is a stand-alone system that results in powerful change . . . fast."-David Hancock, The Entrepreneurial Publisher, CEO, Morgan James Publishing"Dave's methods helped me take my business from $0 to $10 million in sales.If you're a creative business owner who wants total focus and massive success, run, don't walk, and get this book!"-Stephanie Frank, author, The Accidental Millionaire"The Power of an Hour is a mighty powerful way to sort out your financesby first sorting out yourself!"-Mark Joyner, #1 bestselling author, The Irresistible Offer"The disease of the twenty-first century, no matter who you are or what you do,is Time Deficit Disorder. Dave Lakhani offers a brilliant solution in this book.Get it and take the cure-you'll be surprised how much better you feel!"-David Garfinkel, author, Customers on Demand

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Small Business, Big Vision: Lessons on How to Dominate Your Market from Self-Made Entrepreneurs Who Did it Right Review

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(More customer reviews)I received a pre-release copy of this book to review, and loved it! I've been an entrepreneur for a long time and am always looking for better ways to build and improve my businesses. This book provides practical advice that anyone can put into use to "dominate their market" as the book says.
I'd strongly recommend this book to anyone who is or wants to be a business owner. Whether you're thinking of starting a business or have been in business for 30 years, there's something for everyone to learn here.
My favorite parts: The chapter on social media marketing, the "Pulling a 180" chapter on turning your business around, and the section on social entrepreneurship. Good stuff!

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Lessons in applying passion and perseverance from prominent entrepreneurs
In the world of entrepreneurship, your vision solidifies your resolve when things get tough, and it reminds you why you went into business in the first place. Authors, brothers, and serial entrepreneurs, Matthew and Adam Toren have compiled a wealth of valuable information on the passionate and pragmatic realities of starting your own business. They've also gathered insights from some of the world's most successful entrepreneurs. This book delivers the information that both established and budding entrepreneurs need, explains how to implement that information, and validates each lesson with real-world examples.
Small Business, Big Vision provides inspiration and practical advice on everything from creating a one-page business plan to setting up an advisory board, and also delivers a call to social entrepreneurship and sustainable business practices. This powerful book:
Offers instruction in whether and how to seek investors
Outlines the pros and cons of hiring employees and provides guidance on how to find the best outsourced workers
Presents a comprehensive action plan for effective social media marketing
Explains how to build an information empire and become an expert

Small Business, Big Vision proves that with a flexible mindset, practical skills, and the passion to keep pushing forward, entrepreneurs can find success, even in today's ever-changing business landscape.

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