Marketing Shortcuts for the Self-Employed

Reprinted Courtesy of StartupAlmanac.com

Marketing Shortcuts for the Self-Employed

When I first started looking through the Table of Contents of Marketing Shortcuts for the Self-Employed: Leverage Resources, Establish Online Credibility and Crush Your Competition by Patrick Schwerdtfeger, the first words out of my mouth were "Wow." I could see right away how complete the book was and how it covered all possible areas, as it has 80 chapters!

This is the kind of book you wished you had before you even started your business. The chapters are short and concise, and leave out the time-wasting fluff often found in other books. The author provides specific resources and web sites to go to, which is extremely helpful.

One of the things that I found interesting is that some of the recommendations could be applied to other areas of the business. For example, Chapter 6 - The Elevator Pitch describes the structure of creating such a pitch. But the same structure could also be used to create a blog post.

Chapter 9 on Google Codes and Alerts was great. I thought I knew all of them, but I learned a couple new ones, and it also reminded me to start using the ones that I already knew about.

The keyword research trick in Chapter 13 alone is worth more than the price of the book. Easy to do and very useful.

I could go on and on, as the book covers everything from analytics to sales copy to outsourcing. If you are just getting started in your business or you are already into your first, second, or third year of of your startup, I highly recommend that you read Marketing Shortcuts for the Self-Employed.

Another Boring Derivative Piece of Crap Business Book by Another Dumbass Author

Reprinted Courtesy of StartupAlmanac.com

Another Boring Derivative Piece of Crap Business Book

Do you want more promotion for your business? Do you want your company to get free publicity? Do you want to get attention-getting headlines for your product or service? Then you need to read Another Boring, Derivative, Piece of Crap Business Book: Make The First Basic Leap In Work in 100 Years, Laughing All The Way by Mike Veeck and Allen Fahden (on his business card, it says Another Dumbass Author). 

The book makes it very clear that the best way to get the publicity you want is to do the opposite of what everyone else is doing, and not only that, but do something stupid.

One of the interesting chapters in the book is about how author Allen Fahden wanted to come up with an idea to promote his book. He realized that he should take the advice of his own book, and did something stupid. So he set up a one book bookstore.

He rented 1,000 square feet of retail space, set up various bookshelves with different sections, such as travel, philosophy, and history, with just his books in all those sections. The sign over his shop said One Book Bookstore. He also posted a little sign that said Shoplifters Welcome.

A woman walked by and asked what he was selling. He invited her in, showed her around, told her about his top ten best selling books list (his book was in all 10 places of course), and she was very impressed. She told him that she writes a small column in the local newspaper and would write about his store.

Within a month, the One Book Bookstore was written about in major magazines and newspapers all across the country, and was covered by ABC and the BBC.

The book has numerous and hilarious ideas and true stories. Here is just a small sample of some of the chapter titles:

Think One Person Can't Make a Difference? - I Killed Disco
We're Number Three and We Don't Try at All
If You're Worried About Covering Your Ass, Learn to Walk Backward
The Joys of Wine Slobbery
English for Me is a Second Language - I Don't Have a First
Bat Night with Tonya Harding (at baseball game)

The book is only available in hardback, but it is a small size book, about the hight and width of a regular paperback, so it fits easily inside a briefcase, purse, or carry-on. The book even has a flip page video inside.

For light amusing reading with great, inspirational, funny promotional ideas, I recommend Another Boring, Derivative, Piece of Crap Business Book.

7 Money Saving Tips for Investors

As a consumer, I am always looking for ways to save money. Of course, that carries over into the investment arena, where I try to find discounts or freebies for everything that has to do with investing. Here are some ideas that every investor should utilize.

Commission-Free ETFs

Many long-term investors like to invest in Exchange Traded Funds, more commonly known as ETFs, due to their liquidity and diversification. However, because they are traded like stocks, there is a commission involved. It may be only $8 to $10 per trade, but those commissions can add up.

Fortunately, the major online brokerage firms offer a selection of ETFs that can be traded free of commissions. For example, TDAmeritrade offers over 100 ETFs can be purchased without paying a commission. The variety is extensive, including aggressive, moderate, conservative, international, bonds, and even commodity ETFs. The only restriction is that you must hold the ETF for at least 30 days.

However, just because they are offered commission-free, doesn’t mean you will get them commission-free. With this particular broker, you actually have to enroll in the Commission-Free ETF Program. What does enrolling involve? It just involves clicking a button that says Enroll. Check what is required for your broker.

There is no fee to enroll and there is no penalty if you need to sell the ETF in less than 30 days; you would just be charged the standard commissions. Remember, if you don’t enroll, you will be charged a commission for these ETFs.

50% Return Guaranteed

This tip appears on everyone’s list of personal finance tips but it is always worth mentioning again. I hate to beat a dead checkbook, but if your company offers a matching 401(k) or 403(b) plan, you must enroll and you must squeeze out as much as you can from your paycheck to reach the maximum allowable for matching. Some firms provide 100% matching, some provide 50% matching. Even if it is ‘only’ 50%, this is a huge return on your money, and it is guaranteed.

Even if you are afraid of the stock market, have your funds allocated to a money market fund. You will earn almost nothing in interest, but you will gain a 50% return on your contribution.

If your company doesn’t provide matching, it is still a good idea to set aside what you reasonably can to receive the tax deduction for your contribution and to receive the tax deferrals of interest and dividends in the account.

Free Investment Books

Many investors forget that there are numerous books relating to investing and personal finance at their local library. If a book you want is not in your particular library, the book can usually be requested from another library that is part of your library system. Also, if a book can’t be found anywhere in the library system, you can ask your library to order it. They won’t always buy it but it is worth a try.

In many states, state university libraries are open to the public. Don’t forget to check them also, if you have a university nearby.

Free Investment Magazines and Newspapers

Check all your rewards points, especially from airlines. I noticed that I had over 5,000 points hanging around from an airline that I never plan on flying with again. They offered magazine subscriptions in return for points. I was able to get a subscription to the Wall Street Journal, Inc. Magazine, and Fortune Magazine from those points, which would otherwise have been wasted. Other magazines that I could have ordered in the finance area include Money Magazine and The Economist.

Free Investment Transactions

Many readers prefer to invest in ETFs but some like to pick and choose their own stocks. In any case, unless you only buy commission-free ETFs, you will be subject to commissions. If your online broker’s web site is ever down when you are trying to do a transaction, and you unable to sell an ETF or stock, causing a loss due to an adverse price change when the web site wasn’t working, ask your broker to compensate you with free trades. This has happened to me a couple times over the years and I was given five free trades, worth about $50.

Free Investment Events

There are plenty of free conferences or conventions around the country, which provide speakers, seminars, and booths, covering numerous types of investments. Usually in the convention hall, you can find vendors of books, newsletters, online brokerage accounts, mutual funds, stocks, and other investments. The free seminars can be great learning opportunities. One example of this type of conference is The Money Show, which holds events in California, New York, Florida, and Nevada.

There are many other types of seminars that are held on weekends, usually real estate related, but with those, be careful of the hard sell. These are sometimes referred to as ‘get rich quick’ seminars that are usually disguised sales pitches.

Become a Mini Real Estate Tycoon with Tax Free Income

Enough about ETFs and stocks; now for a little real estate. If you own your own home, you may want to generate a little extra income from it, tax-free income at that. If you have an extra bedroom or if you plan on being on vacation for a week or two, you could go onto AirBNB and rent out your room or your house. This extra income can be helpful.

So here is an important fact. You can rent your house or a room in your house up to fourteen days, and not pay any tax on the income. As a matter of fact, you don’t even have to report the income. Here is what Topic 415 on the IRS website says:

‘There is a special rule if you use a dwelling unit as a personal residence and rent it for fewer than 15 days. In this case, do not report any of the rental income and do not deduct any expenses as rental expenses.”

Final Thoughts

As you can see, in all areas of your life, including investing, there are ways to save money. Remember, the more you save, the more you can invest.

By Stockerblog.com

Stocks Going Ex Dividend the Second Week of June

Here is our latest update on the stock trading technique called 'Buying Dividends,' also commonly referred to as 'Dividend Capture.' This is the process of buying stocks before the ex dividend date and selling the stock shortly after the ex date at about the same price, yet still being entitled to the dividend. This technique generally works only in bull markets, and can work in flat or choppy markets, but you need to avoid the technique during bear markets.

In order to be entitled to the dividend, you have to buy the stock before the ex-dividend date, and you can't sell the stock until after the ex date. The actual dividend may not be paid for another few weeks. WallStreetNewsNetwork.com has compiled a downloadable and sortable list of the stocks going ex dividend in the near future. The list contains many dividend paying companies, lots with market caps over $500 million, and yields over 2%. Here are a few examples showing the stock symbol, the ex-dividend date, and the yield.

Ameren Corp	AEE	6/8/2015	4.1%
Auburn National Bancorp, Inc.	AUBN	6/8/2016	3.5%
CME Group	CME	6/8/2017	2.1%
Forrester Research Inc. Com.	FORR	6/8/2018	2.0%
General Motors Company	GM	6/8/2019	4.1%
Kohl's Corporation	KSS	6/8/2020	2.8%
Occidental Petroleum	OXY	6/8/2021	3.9%

Pepco Holdings	POM	6/8/2023	4.0%
PPL Corporation	PPL	6/8/2024	4.3%
Reynolds American	RAI	6/8/2025	3.6%
Reis Inc	REIS	6/8/2026	2.6%
SCANA Corp.	SCG	6/8/2027	4.1%
South Jersey Industries	SJI	6/8/2028	3.8%
Symantec Corporation	SYMC	6/8/2029	2.5%
Travelers Co.	TRV	6/8/2030	2.4%
Telus Corp	TU	6/8/2031	4.9%
United Bancorp	UBCP	6/8/2032	4.4%
Best Buy	BBY	6/9/2015	2.7%

The additional ex-dividend stocks can be found at wsnn.com. (If you have been to the website before, and the latest link doesn't show up, you may have to empty your cache.) If you like dividend stocks, you should check out some of the other high yield stock lists at WallStreetNewsNetwork.com or WSNN.com. Most of the lists are free. 
Dividend definitions:

Declaration date: the day that the company declares that there is going to be an upcoming dividend.

Ex-dividend date: the day on which if you buy the stock, you would not be entitled to that particular dividend; or the first day on which a shareholder can sell the shares and still be entitled to the dividend.

Monthly Dividend Stock List
Record date: the day when you must be on the company's books as a shareholder to receive the dividend. The ex-dividend date is normally set for stocks at two business days before the record date.

Payment date: the day on which the dividend payment is actually made, which can be as long at two months after the ex date.

Book now available: Buying Dividends Revised and Expanded

Book now available: Stock Market Trivia Makes a Great Gift!

Don't forget to reconfirm the ex-dividend date with the company before implementing this technique.

Disclosure: Author did not own any of the above at the time the article was written.

By Stockerblog.com