Here you will find a gift for everyone on your list.

• For your teenage son a subscription to “Gamefly” will bring a smile to his face and hours of gaming fun for all.
• For your Aunt that is always neat and tidy a “Shoes Under”  Click Here Click Here space saver or “Always Fresh Containers”.

Click Here Click Here

• For the entrepeneur in your family, check out the “Trump University” website.
• For your friend who is always the third wheel tag a long, get them a membership to “date.com”.
• For your parents who are always looking for a way to trim the budget, the “Magic Jack” is the golden ticket.

Click Here Click Here

There will be many more items coming soon,  Be sure to check back often.

This past summer I enrolled in The Trump University online school to both better myself as a business person and truly harness real estate investing from the best in the business. To succeed consistently over time, you need to understand a number of trends — some of them quite complex — and time your activities to take advantage of them. For minority businesses and successful entrepreneurs wanting to grow and learn how to be successful I highly recommend Trump University.

Trump University For Serious Investors Only

Changing economic and demographic trends.
Changes taking place in a community.
Changes taking place in your own life.

Ultimately, the greatest real estate profits come to people who create change, not merely take advantage of it. And many opportunities exist for smart investors to take the lead in creating change. Donald Trump’s father taught him to “know everything you can about what you’re doing.” He followed this advice and learned as much as he could about real estate. That advice worked for him. Now he wants to give you more valuable advice that can work for you too.

Donald Trump’s father taught him to “know everything you can about what you’re doing.” He followed this advice and learned as much as he could about real estate. That advice worked for him. Now he wants to give you more valuable advice that can work for you too.

Take the lead, Make it Happen for Yourself Today >>

I thought I had seen all of the possible businesses Donald Trump could lend his name to from Trump Water to Trump University but this one takes the cake.

Donald Trump Network Marketer

I had seen several Tweets pushing a similar message and thought the Tweets might have been exaggerated.

However, if there are ads running the same message – it must be true!

I think there are two takeaways from Donald Trump’s latest business venture:

1. A brand can over extend itself and stray far enough from its place in the consumer’s mind as to actually lose its place in the consumer’s mind – thereby diluting any brand equity it may have had.

2. There is no easier mark than a salesman.

I would have loved to have witnessed the process where the network marketer who sold Donald Trump on lending his name to a multi-level marketing scheme closed that deal – it had to have been a doozy.

Good luck Donald Trump Network Marketing Company!

The Press Release announcing the launch of the Donlad Trump Network Marketing Company:

Donald Trump Network Marketing Company

You're hired

I remember reading in one of Donald Trump’s books that he values deputies who can bring him up to speed on any given business matter within 10 seconds.

I remember picturing his tight-lipped sidekicks on The Apprentice and thinking,

Wow, do they not have much to say, or do they just speak really fast?

It’s amazing how much you can see once your eyes have been peeled. As I mentioned before, I’ve been studying a book called Marketing 101 by Donald Sexton. And in Chapter 7, “Understanding Your Organization’s Capabilities”, I began to think through and write down what my business could do best. When I finished, I had come up with my competitive edge. Some people call this the USP or Unique Selling Proposition.

Simply put, your USP is the difference in your business that always remains the same.  This difference is generally caused by two things:

1. What you can do best
2. What your competitors fail to do best

I’ll give you an example. 

(Continue reading…)

I work with three Car Care Centers in the Petersburg area. Let’s call them Car Center A, Car Center B and Car Center C.

Car Center A is a mom-and-pop’s service station that takes mostly emergency wrecker calls.  Their niche market consists of local county residents and travelers who have experienced car trouble on the highway.  Because they don’t make many appointments, there is no waiting area. Locals usually drop their cars off and travelers stay at one of three hotels within a 2 mile radius. 

Car Center B is a former dealership where I purchased my car.  They also service local county residents and customers who have purchased vehicles from them.  Unlike Car Center A, they service vehicles by appointment only and do have a waiting area with comfy couches and a television.  Because they don’t take many wrecker calls, they have set up a referral program with a nearby wrecker company.   

Car Center C is a dealership/customer service center where my wife’s car is serviced.  They have the same features as Car Center B, but the difference is that they go more in depth.  They have designed their entire operation around the customer service experience.  From the free coffee to the coat hooks in each restroom stall (yes, I checked…lol), they have thoroughly anticipated each and every need of the customer.

Each Car Center services me in a different way but the competitive edge of Car Center C is sharper than the other two.  They have been very effective in focusing on customer service as their USP.  It’s the common thread that holds together their entire operation. As a customer, I have come to expect a certain standard of service.   And on each visit, they meet or exceed my expectations.  If they ever stopped providing great customer service, their entire operation would unravel before their eyes.  But by continuing to provide a suberb customer service experience, customers keep coming back time and time again. 

Like a sharp knife, your competitive edge actually carves out a space for you in the market.  This space is called your market niche.  To find and maintain your niche, it’s important to know what you do best.  So in your spare time, write down 2-3 things about yourself that make you different or the things you do best.  Then do the same for your business.  (If you’re self-employed, they could be one in the same.)  Not only will you see the characteristics that make you different, but you begin to shape your business.

All posts on “My Future In Focus” Weblog are the intellectual property of T.A. and are licensed under a

Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No derivative Works 3.0 United States License

Trump University Commercial Real Estate 101: How Small Investors Can Get Started and Make It Big

By David Lindahl, Trump University, Donald J. Trump

Trump University books are practical, straightforward primers on the basics of doing business the Trump way–successfully. Each book is written by a leading expert in the field and includes an inspiring Foreword by Trump himself. Key ideas throughout are illustrated by real-life examples from Trump and other senior executives in the Trump organization. Perfect for anyone who wants to get ahead in business, with or without the MBA, these streetwise books provide real-world business advice based on the one thing readers can’t get in any business school–experience.

You Don’t Have to Be a Billionaire to Make It Big in Commercial Real Estate!

For first-timers and experienced residential investors alike, Trump University Commercial Real Estate Investing 101 provides a clear path to breaking into the lucrative field of commercial investing. Combining the biggest name in business with lessons from a top real estate investor, this practical guide covers all the ins and outs of successful, profitable investing in apartment buildings and small commercial properties.

Review More

Good Morning Investors,

I hope this blog blesses everyone who reads this today.  Its seems that folks all over the country are freaking out because they don’t know what to do in this chaotic time.  Most people have invested their money in the stock market.  Many people have lost there life savings.  The sad thing is that their brokers(salesmen) are telling them to wait it out. 

Don’t Wait!

 Everyday people are being told that the market will come back around.  Folks, the market will come back around, but are you just going to sit there and wait?  Now is the time to educate yourself and stop listening what the so called experts are telling you to do.  I have said this many times, and I will say it until the day I die…………..Learn how to invest your own money! 

Stop listening to your so called broker.  No one is going to look out for your family like you will!  Take back your power and surround yourself with people who are in the “know”. 

I thank God that I have taken the time to educate myself to the point where the market has had NO affect on my investments.  I have my funds invested in a self directed IRA with Equity Trust Company.  ETC allows me to do my real estate transactions inside of my SEP account, coverdell, HSA (health savings account), Roth, and traditional accounts.  Most of my profits are tax free!!  Please take the time to email me so I can let you in on some of my insider secrets to investing with ETC.

Options          

There are so many options that you are unaware of, I would like to see you build a real estate empire for your family.  Get the right knowledge and mingle with the right people.   I would be more than glad to help you get started in the right direction.  Email me for more info at cljones2008@gmail.com

What are you waiting for to change your life?   Everything you need is right in front of you.  All you have to do is ask God for what you want, and then take action on it.  The Lord blesses you through other people.

Until next time,                    

Keep God 1st, Invest in People              

CL Jones

eBay is one of the greatest inventions ever.  Whenever I need a little extra cash and a fresh challenge, I market a product on eBay.  Notice which word I used – market – not sell.  Here’s the difference.  When you sell an item, you approach your market.  When you market an item (correctly, that is…) your market comes to you. 

As I mentioned a couple of blogs ago, I’ve been studying Trump University’s Marketing 101.  And last week, I decided to put my marketing skills to the test, listing my Roland XP 10 Digital Synthesizer.  It had a broken key and I was not planning to get it fixed.  So immediately, I had to think like a potential buyer in my target market.  They would have to take their time and energy to get the key fixed and that would have been reflected in the price the customer was willing to pay.  Not only was I totally honest by mentioning the broken key in the product description, I also decided to make up for that lost value with a few extras.  I threw in two MIDI cords, two audio cables, a damper pedal, gig bag and a 253 page guide to building a home studio.    Separately, these items would have sold for little or nothing.  And while throwing in the extras I thought “no one else does this, why should I?”  But I realized that creating value is in my nature and it sets me apart from the other sellers.  So, I posted the keyboard package at one cent ($.01), crawled in the bed and went to sleep.  The next morning when I checked the price, it had risen to $20.50.  Long story short, the keyboard package sold for $255…to a guy in Argentina.

Let’s take a look at this from a financial standpoint. 

Continue reading…

Originally, I paid about $400 for the equipment and sold about $350 in music CDs that I made with that equipment.  When you add the $350 to the sale price of the keyboard, I made over $200.00.  Then when you count the countless gigs I’ve played for and music lessons that I’ve taught using that keyboard, it gets well into the thousands.   Clearly, that Roland XP 10 keyboard was an asset.  And when it was no longer serviceable, I cut all emotional ties (I do admit that it took a year-and-a-half to do that) and liquidated the asset.

Recently, I had to face the cold hard truth about myself.  I’m not designed to climb the corporate ladder.  So if I ever decided to stop building business and get a full-time job, I would hit an income ceiling of about $40,000 a year.  Being that gas prices are on the rise, the value of the dollar is falling faster than a drunk man on ice and I live at least 40 miles from the nearest major city, it would not make financial sense for me to center my short-term plan around a full-time job.  I’m also a horrible salesman and I hate selling stuff to people.  And after reading Six Secrets of Sales Magnets and studying Sales Magnetism last year, I know why.  So, I had to find another way that would maximize my strengths and allow me to turn my weaknesses into opportunities.  Once I faced the facts, I was able to play to my strengths – creating and communicating value to my target market. 

The key to selling online is to learn marketing.  You have to think like your prospective customers.  Here’s the truth: internet Business is to the 21^st century what the full-time job was to the 20^th century.  If Generation Y is not careful, this truth can hit us like a ton of bricks in the next 3 years.  Money moves at the click of a mouse.  If you have a mouse and a market, you can make money online. 

You probably have a couple of items in your house that are collecting dust.  Try posting one item on eBay, just to get a feel for internet marketing and marketing in general.  Keep working on it until you get the hang of it.  Believe me, there is no better feeling that making money in your sleep. 

All posts on “My Future In Focus” Weblog are the intellectual property of T.A. and are licensed under a

Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No derivative Works 3.0 United States License

The news on the financial front is bad, perhaps even apocalyptic. I can’t say I know enough about the world of money right now to be able to hazard a guess on what will happen. I suppose, though, that makes me as smart as anyone else during these turbulent times.

Given the dramatic period we have entered, I made a foray into a world I would usually avoid this weekend. I spotted an internet ad for a Trump Wealth Institute seminar and thought it might make for a good column. While I ultimately wrote up something else, I can’t waste the chance to describe this unique experience.

My invitation called for me to arrive at the seminar 30 minutes prior to its 9 a.m. starting time. When I got there, a number of people, most of them elderly, were already sitting in easy chairs outside of the ballroom that would house the program. I sat down while an older, semi-coherent man peppered me with questions about the size of my Dunkin’ Donuts coffee. I left the foyer and came back and sat next to two men a few years younger than me dressed in chinos and button down shirts. I tried to make the most of the opportunity of the down time, querying them about their presence at the event. Each muttered something about trying to learn something about the real estate business, then cut the discussion short.

I noticed the diverse group of people who took registration cards. There was a pair of young Central American women dressed up as if they were going to church. I observed several other groups of non-English speaking people as well as a number of 60-something women who reminded me of my mother. Inside, I saw a few African American faces, some Asians, Latinos and whites. The only thing that seemed to unify this oddball crew was a desire to financially better themselves during a downturn. If that was the goal, the seminar run by Rick Brown, a self-described member of Donald Trump’s financial empire, didn’t disappoint.

I’m not saying that Brown’s caused anyone to get rich. But his almost two-hour routine played on the insecurities and fears, hopes and dreams, which we all as Americans possess. Before saying more about Brown, I can tell you that Trump not only lends his name to these functions, which amount to little more than a live infomercial, he also appears before the group in a brief video, like a capitalist version of Chairman Mao in a Communist China reeducation camp. “You’re going to learn the Trump way to get cash back when you buy a property,” Trump bellowed on the video. “You’re going to learn the Trump way to build your real estate empire property by property.”

Interestingly, though, Trump was not the star of the show. That honor fell to the aforementioned Brown, who entered the ballroom dramatically after the Trump video wearing a black suit and red tie. “You have to learn to take care of yourselves,” he told the attendees. “There’s no more job security in this country…It’s financial security that counts.” Within a few moments he had the entire group say aloud “I have to stop working this hard.” At another moment, he prompted the crowd to repeat the words “I need at least $3 million.”

To his credit, Brown announced at the beginning of his seminar what the game was about. He was there to sell a $4000 tuition program at the Trump Institution, which, he added, was tax deductible and he was authorized to offer for $2000.

Soon after he began to speak, the two younger men with whom I had spoken, got up to leave. When I asked them why outside of the hotel, one of them said sternly, “thanks. We’re all set.”

It’s just as well because Brown was only getting started with his preamble, one relevant to the financial news we are currently witnessing. “This is a meltdown. It’s historic, and this is just the tip of the iceberg. We have not seen the bottom yet,” Brown said.

He was only warming up. Soon he spoke with anger. “They took advantage of good hardworking Americans…And they’re going to pay for it.”

I’m not a member of any of the Evangelical churches. But this is what Brown’s speaking style reminded me of. He was gripping, compelling, moving. At times he spoke sternly about the financial plight most Americans find themselves in. “You better watch out where you bank,” he hissed knowingly. At other points, he was folksy, telling a story about how he, on a weekend clad in jeans and rugged jacket, approached a property owner to tell the man of some $500,000 in special loans and grants he was eligible for, only to find him arrogant and all-knowing.

He was equal parts, a snake oil salesman, an adviser, a therapist, a preacher, a talk show host. He spoke quickly, but slowed up at times. By his own description, he is not a college graduate, in contrast to his brother, whom he said, always doubted everything but couldn’t find a way to make much money. His eyes twinkled. He laughed derisively. He made jokes that caught everyone’s attention: for example, he described how he could use his computer and Trump tools to find out almost everything about a given property. He paused, said “but nobody can find that Bin Laden guy,” and gave a loud “ha!”

I don’t know enough about real estate to make any judgment about the overall Trump program. I stayed only through an hour and forty-five minutes of Brown’s talk, but that in and of itself says something. After all, I’ve seen Barack Obama speak in person almost 30 times, and I can say that there are moments even in his best speeches where I’ve drifted off. Brown held my attention as well as that of almost everyone in the room for most of that time.

He also made good use of the Trump name and reputation. “One thing about us. Everything we touch turns to gold,” he boasted. “We make a lot of money in real estate.” My favorite was when he mentioned the Trump casino. “Yeah. We own a casino. We don’t gamble in it,” he said to hoots of laughter. 

As far as the substance goes, I’m, of course, skeptical; maybe I’m too much like Brown’s brother. One of his money-making examples involved dividing a one-unit property into a property that could contain a number of lots. I couldn’t get all the details but it amounted to getting pre-approval to change the zoning from the county or municipal authority. In Brown’s example, the zoning official was more than happy to make the change because the instructor advised attendees to go in and ask that person his or her “expert advice” – “expert advice” being a key phrase that touched the ego of underappreciated zoning officials. When Brown concluded the story with the person making a considerable profit, the older, semi-coherent, man I had seen before the program began, exclaimed “that’s a good idea!”

It might be a good idea some place, but I don’t know anywhere within Route 128 where an investor can snag some kind of zoning-pre-approval, at least without investing all kinds of money in lawyers and government relations firms. In our region, filled with neighborhood activists, environmental and community groups, various political officials and bureaucrats, such changes are unheard of. Perhaps there are more relevant examples in the $2000 program, but the scenario just didn’t seem very probable for eastern Massachusetts.

Which is really too bad. The people I saw at the Trump seminar were looking for something that really went farther than money. They were looking for a better life. And they were looking for hope during a difficult time. Maybe Brown’s words can give confidence to would-be entrepreneurs to take control of their lives. I don’t know. People presumably go into seminars like that with their eyes open.

Having said that, I believe this Rick Brown would make a fabulous profile for a glossy magazine or the subject of a screenplay. He reminded me of Tom Cruise’s character in Magnolia or, even more, of Alec Baldwin in Glengarry Glen Ross. He’s a unique American character, one worthy of further study, even if it won’t make me $3 – or even $1 million.

A large part of bringing my future into focus involves education.  That’s why I’ve decided to start this new weekly posting Resource of the Week.  Thinking like an entrepreneur doesn’t just happen over night.  It’s something that you work at your entire life.  There is always something new to learn.  And let’s face it, if you had to enroll in a class everytime you wanted to learn something new, you may just go broke.  So it’s important to be lifelong in learning.  I want to share with you a book that I’m using to study independently. 

It’s called Marketing 101 and part of the Trump University book series.  Before we go any furture, don’t let the face of “the Donald” discourage you from checking this book out.  This book is written by Don Sexton, who has been a professor of marketing at Columbia University (my alma mater) for more than 35 years.  Amazingly, Don has managed to explain marketing in a way that is pretty straightforward.  And most importantly, you will NOT feel like you’re locked away in a classroom, sitting in a desk that feels two sizes too small   And here’s the bonus…there are worksheets and exercise for each chapter.  In the first 50-60 pages, you will understand your customers, marketplace and your own business alot better.  I feel a sense of accomplishment as I finish each chapter.  Not just because it’s a great book, but also because with each lesson I complete a component of my marketing plan.  Great deal for under $25 – and by far the cheapest class I’ve ever taken.  From new entrepreneurs to business veterans, Marketing 101 is well worth your investment.

All posts on “My Future In Focus” Weblog are the intellectual property of T.A. and are licensed under a

Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No derivative Works 3.0 United States License

Giving Credit Where Credit is Due:

Marketing 101 Photo courtesy of Google photos.

In Fareed Zakaria’s current bestseller, “The Post-American World,” one of the conclusions he reaches about the American education system compared to that of other nations is that “Other educational systems teach you to take tests; the American system teaches you to think.”

This got me thinking about testing, that critical component of successful direct marketing. Thinking and testing come together in direct marketing. We think, then we test. Then we leverage what we learned to maximize our results.

I started in mail order, and I currently work at a direct marketing agency called Tanen Directed Advertising, where we bring direct marketing disciplines to everything we do. Or at least we try to. Sometimes clients say the budgets aren’t there for testing. Sometimes the universes are so small there’s no point — there’s not enough there to be confident that the results mean what we think they mean, or to leverage whatever we might learn from the test, and the incremental cost of splitting up the universe and printing or creating multiple versions is prohibitive.

But it hurts me not to test. A couple of years ago, at AdTech NY, I heard Roy de Souza, CEO of ZEDO,  an internet e-commerce and ad-serving tech company, share this piece of advice about testing: “2 with one difference.” Roy said that if you buy 2 search ads and change one single item between them, they will
never perform the same.

I think that holds true for just about anything.

The Vice President of Marketing for Trump University is a friend of mine, Josef Katz.  He’s the Marketing Maestro who writes the TrumpUniversity Marketing Blog, and he was recently interviewed by eM+C magazine. Along with discussing behavioral advertising and social marketing, Josef talks about how he used multivariate testing of an event registration page to increase conversion by over 75%. 75%! The biggest factor in the increase:  moving the registration form below the fold. He said the move allows visitors to read more about the event’s content before signing up. Before the move, they were still clicking but converting at a lower rate.

A guaranteed winner. Huge increases in conversions. What’s not to like about testing?

And yet, some people don’t like testing. I remember a former client of mine who wouldn’t go with our proposed testing matrix, and said, “I don’t need to test. I go with my gut.” To which I replied, “I go with my gut, too. I just test it, along with whatever else makes sense.”

By now you’re probably starting to wonder, “where’s the question, Jeff?” Well, here it is. There are plenty of people out there on both the client side and the agency side that never test, that look down on direct marketing as somehow less important than “real advertising.” That are more than happy to throw money at events that can’t be tracked to sales, ads that can’t find their targets, and imprinted premiums like pens and flash drives that don’t work very well as ads and, in a short amount of time, stop working altogether.

So can someone who doesn’t believe in testing please explain to me why, in this day and age when testing is so easy, are you failing to test everything that can be tested?

Chief Learning Officer Roger Schank from Trump University recently fulfilled two of his life passions (being a grandfather and improving the way people think about learning) by launching Grandparent Games, a company devoted to facilitating the interaction between grandparents and grandchildren to create interactive learning experiences.

Whether a grandchild is around the corner or around the world, with Grandparent Games, being apart doesn’t mean you can’t be a part of their lives.

• A simple video and voice connection gives you one-on-one time together
• Grandparent Games is safe to use and easy to set up
• Exciting animations, pictures and videos engage even your youngest grandkid
• Infants through age 3 learn by playing with you

We encourage you to try Grandparent Games now – for free! Sign up today and try Grandparent Games for 30 days absolutely free!

If you like it, you can stay connected for $9.95 per month or $75.00 a year.

www.grandparentgames.com

Over the past two and a half years Success University has positioned itself to become the number one online business opportunity on the internet (it’s currently the third most visited network marketing website) and also the largest personal development company in the world.

Don’t stop reading! Yes, there are thousands of opportunities on the internet. Yes, there are gazillions of ‘get rich quick schemes’. But there are a few key ingredients to success that may help you differentiate what’s hot and what’s not.

• There needs to be a system that is easy to use for everybody
• There must be step by step training which will teach you how to use the system
• You must have access to good support, to help you if you do not understand
• Personal development and motivation is key and this must be provided
• You must be working with a product that is in high demand
• There must be a fantastic compensation plan

Here’s why Success University come out tops on all the above:

• Each member taps into a world leading system which has been put together by the best online marketers.
• You can access an online support system and call centre for all your questions. When you get started you have access to a ‘getting started right’ training pack.
• You also have access to personal help and guidance from excited, helpful, friendly people like myself!
• The “product” Success University and its affiliates market is personal development and motivational material which was compiled by world leaders in the personal development field.
• Above I said the product must be in high demand. Look around you. People want to learn true success principles. Forbes magazine has predicted that personal development is the next big emerging industry and Donald Trump listened and launched Trump University. If Donald Trump listened shouldn’t I? Shouldn’t you? This is the industry to be in! Basically the top personal development coaches in the world are ready to teach you to be successful through the Success University package. Now I know that coaches cost money, some as much as thousands for one evening. Success University makes personal development and coaching affordable. It costs less than a cup of coffee a day! You will be marketing a product which everybody agrees is essential for a happy, healthy and wealthy lifestyle. The personal development industry is a multi bullion dollar industry world wide.
• You have an unlimited income potential with this system. Learn about the compensation plan here.

An extra benefit is to be able to test drive the program. Success University gives a two week free trial – how good is that! (Well you’ll be asked to give $2 to Feed the Children).

This sounds good to me. It doesn’t sound good to all! There is in fact a lot of negative about MLM (multi level marketing) and business opportunities on the net. This is understandable because there have been dodgy going on, people have been burnt. However, people get conned in all types of businesses. Not all businesses work out for everyone! So, over the next few days I’m going to investigate the wonderful but somewhat despised world of internet marketing and MLM. Let’s see where this takes us!

Posted by Sara Brown, 03/07/2008

I’ll have a post up in the next day or two about Trump’s book, Trump 101: The Way to Success.

For now, the short version is that this book is not going to teach you a dozen different methods for building opulent towers, getting tons of free publicity or how to manage a bad comb-over.

It will give you the mind tools to develop specific strageties for success. 

Definitely not a how-to-do book; more a how-to-think book.

More later.

Donald Trump is tough & brash business person. Great if its his own business. Do you think he can train you to be a multi-millionaire investor. Think again.

A lot emails these days from http://www.trumpuniversity.com

Would believe your actual mentors are based in Utah?

They go by various names also … PMG Mentors, Vermotion, prosperlearning.com, etc.

Check them out at www.bbb.org