Archive for June, 2008

Why Would You Stand In Line 48 Hours To Get A Playstation 3 - The Marketing Psychology Is Working

Sunday, June 22nd, 2008

By David Perdew You know it’s Christmas time when two things happen… 1) People stand in line for 48 hours camped outside Best Buy for 48 hours waiting for the latest PlayStation release, or… 2) The Internet giveaway fever really heats up - More about this later. The current Playstation mania is an incredible lesson in marketing. But I missed the importance of what was going on until a friend smacked me in the face with it this morning… DUMB LIKE A FOX… Our friend — I’ll call him AJ — reported this morning that he and his wife had just come back from Wal-Mart where they’d been camping for 48 hours to get one of 4 available PlayStations 3 when they went on sale… Unbelievable! I thought he was insane when he told us this. Who wants a PlayStation bad enough to stand in line 48 hours? Well… He said with a smile, “We got two!” So! It was still 48 hours in front of a store, right? Do your kids really need PlayStations THAT badly? “Oh, they’re not for the kids! We listed them on eBay within an hour,” he said, still smiling. “And they’re averaging 5 to 7 thousand dollars. Some have sold for more than $14,000.” Search for “PlayStation 3″ on eBay. I was blown away at the prices. I was stunned. Not because of the price (people pay extravagant prices for just about anything), nor because my “insane” friend actually made about $390 per hour if he sells them both for $7000, but because I had totally missed the entire marketing lesson expertly laid out by Sony and Wal-Mart. The six basic marketing persuaders from Robert Cialdini’s classic book, “Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion”, are in full view! ** Authority — Wal-Mart. Love ‘em or hate ‘em, they are the big kahuna in mega store retailing. If they advertise that they have 4 PlayStations in stock…they’ve got 4 and only 4 in stock. But they promise they can get more because…well, they can. ** Liking — People practically live at Wal-Mart. Convenience and service translate into customers with an undying loyalty to them, often because they’ve become the only game in town. ** Commitment with Consistency — Let’s see. Stand outside in November in the rain for 48 hours to be the first in line for the release of a new product. That’s serious commitment! ** Reciprocation — Wal-Mart provides a free (and massive) PS3 buyer’s guide on their site that provides all the information you need to make a decision between the $500 and $600 basic units, and all the accessories required. Giving such complete information not only sets up the authority persuader but also makes you value the content and feel indebted to the retailer. That’s called reciprocity. ** Social Proof — The press has been lapping up Sony’s press releases about the PlayStation launch date and the lack of product. And the gaming blogs can talk of nothing else. ** Scarcity — Sony is really smart! They do this every year. Release only enough of the hot product to create an insatiable appetite for it. They may have warehouses full of PlayStations, but they won’t release them until the market begs for more. HOW DID I MISS THIS! AJ knew — before he invested the time to stand in line –that the market was clamoring for the product. And he saw an opportunity. He had no intention of keeping the PlayStations himself. His research on eBay confirmed that PS3 fans were rabid and would pay any price! Like any good marketer, he remembered the first rule: Determine what the market wants and sell it to them. As Mark Hendricks, a master marketer, and creator of the Christmas season giveaways, likes to say, that’s the difference between “marketing” and “selling” — it’s much easier to make money when you’re providing a much-wanted service. Selling something no one wants is hard work, indeed. Marketing is easy. I should have seen it too. I’ve studied with some great internet marketers. Most teach the basic principles of Robert Cialdini’s book. CHRISTMAS MADNESS… During the Christmas season, online marketers flock to the Internet to collect gifts — usually informational products and software tools. Always free, hence the name giveaway, the purpose is to drive traffic. All of Cialdini’s six persuaders are used to create the buzz, exchange the gifts for e-mail addresses and names. The 12 Days of Christmas is the granddaddy of the online giveaway extravaganza and Mark Hendricks is the father of the concept. For several years now, Mark has brought together more than 75 top marketers to giveaway hundreds of products during the month of December. Because the concept worked so well and has become an Internet marketing staple, a gazillion giveaways pop up. It’s now a standard tool in every marketer’s toolkit. Why does it work so well. It’s based on one of Cialdini’s persuaders — reciprocity. I give you something and you’ll feel obligated to give me something back. It’s a technique used everywhere. When you go to the grocery, clerks stand at sample stations offering everything from cubes of cheese to portions of spaghetti and meatballs. Why? If you take a sample, chances are really good that you’ll buy the product. But at Christmas…Whew! It’s tough to keep up and maintain enough free disk space on your computer for all the online giveaway opportunities. The six persuaders (all included above) are real. Until I got involved in the Internet, I had no idea I was being “persuaded” at every turn. We all react to them, will forever, and have ever since the first caveman tried to sell the first hunk of meat to his neighbor. It took a PlayStation 3 and AJ to point me back to the “real” world to see it in action there too. ***************************************************** David Perdew is an enthusiastic Internet Success System student (http://www.the60dayexperiment.com/recommends/iss.htm) and contributor to 12 Days of Christmas (http://www.the60dayexperiment.com/go/12Days.htm). You can read about how he incorporates Mark’s marketing techniques on his blog (http://www.the60dayexperiment.com/blog/12day.htm). ***************************************************** Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=David_Perdew http://EzineArticles.com/?Why-Would-You-Stand-In-Line-48-Hours-To-Get-A-Playstation-3—The-Marketing-Psychology-Is-Working&id=362386 christmas bad credit cash advance a child is not a paycheck free money loan sharks mortgage loan bad credit

Exercise to Lose Belly Fat - Are You Making These 3 Mistakes?

Thursday, June 19th, 2008

By Tom Gifford Trying to exercise to lose belly fat can be a difficult thing to do if you are making some very common mistakes. Lots of people go to the gym and exercising in ways that are actually counterproductive to what they need to be doing. This article will show you 3 common mistakes that most people make which keeps them from being able to lose belly fat with exercise. The 3 Most Common Mistakes Exercise to Lose Belly Fat Mistake #1: Doing long cardio routines Does this one come as a surprise for you? If you need to lose belly fat with exercise, you should do as much cardio as possible because thats how you will burn calories, right? Not so fast. Doing long cardio routines going at the same speed the entire time is actually a recipe for failure! The reason for this is because of the way your body responds to this type of exercise. First, if you do the same cardio workout over and over again your body will adapt to it very quickly. When your body adapts to a certain workout, it becomes more effective at doing it. This means that over time, your body becomes more efficient at doing the same workout, and you actually burn less calories the longer you do it! If you have ever started to lose belly fat with exercise at first and then had your results come to a screeching halt, this is why! Second, doing the same cardio workout over and over again is just plain boring! If you are getting slow results from your exercise it becomes very difficult to push yourself to keep doing 30, 45, and 60 minute sessions. What works: Interval training! Exercise to Lose Belly Fat Mistake #2: Doing high reps of 15-20 when strength training The thought with this one is that if you want to get toned muscles then you should do high reps at a lower weight. The problem here is that if you are doing reps this high, then weight is probably not very heavy. If the weight is not heavy enough your muscles will not be challenged enough to get stronger. You see, your goal with strength training is to add lean muscle mass which will in turn increase your metabolism. If you are just doing high reps with a light weight, your muscles will not be stimulated to add any muscle mass, so you end up just doing lots of reps without any real physiological benefit! What Works: Doing lower reps of 8-12 reps with heavier weight, and using higher reps at certain parts of the training routine. Exercise to Lose Belly Fat Mistake #3: Doing endless crunches This is a very common misconception when trying to lose belly fat. The thought here is that in order to lose fat around the midsection you should do hundreds of crunches to spot tone the area. The truth is that you cannot lose fat in a specific area by working the muscle underneath the fat. This is called spot reduction or spot toning. When your body stores fat, it does not do it in one specific area. Instead, fat is stored all over your body. The same is true when it comes to losing fat. When you are doing the right things you will lose fat all over your body and not just in one specific area. Another reason that doing tons of crunches is not good for losing belly fat is because you are not working enough muscle to significantly increase your metabolism. What works: Doing a circuit training routine that focuses on multi-joint exercises. CONCLUSION If you are making these three mistakes outlined in this article, there is a good chance that your fat loss results are suffering. If you want to learn more about the best ways to lose belly fat with exercise, check out the link below for some great information that can really help to get you on the right track. Tom Gifford is a Certified Personal Trainer by the American Council on Exercise. His website at http://www.TheFatLossZone.com offers a free 47 page ebook titled “How to Fire Up Your Metabolism and Lose Body Fat Permanently”. Tom’s free newsletter from The Fat Loss Zone is jam packed with tips and techniques guaranteed to get you on the fast track to having a slim and sexy physique. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tom_Gifford http://EzineArticles.com/?Exercise-to-Lose-Belly-Fat—Are-You-Making-These-3-Mistakes?&id=549809 advance anaheim cash loan personal loans for college students smart payday loans personal loan rates

Bodysculpting for Women: Exercise & Weight Loss Strategies

Sunday, June 15th, 2008

By Craig Ballantyne Weight loss for women is probably the number one New Year’s resolution. Whether its nutrition, exercise, or a combination of the two, its no doubt that many plans are being made to lose the winter fat as soon as New Year’s comes… In order to succeed, you need to be committed. But what about stubborn fat. It can wear down even the most committed exerciser. What can you do to bodysculpt that area? Unfortunately, you just need to stick to your overall fat loss program, as you can’t spot-tone your body. Sugar, processed carbs, and inconsistent training will be your downfall, so don’t give up. To help you stick to a schedule even during your busy week, you need short, fast, intense workouts. That’s why I recommend strength and interval training, rather than traditional long, aerobic cardio sessions. So focus on the following: 1. Nutrition: Avoid processed carbohydrates. Eat mostly fruits and vegetables for your carbs. Eat protein at every meal, and stay away from fried foods. Eat at least 4 small meals, preferably 6. And don’t drink any calories unless absolutely necessary. 2. Training: Forget about long slow cardio and light weights. Train harder, but in shorter workouts. Use your training to boost your metabolism and burn fat even when you are not working out. 3. Supplements: Forget fat loss supplements. While some supplements will boost your health, nothing will burn your fat. With this approach, you will start off strong. And if you change your program every 4 weeks, your fat loss should carry on! Craig Ballantyne is a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist and writes for Men’s Health, Men’s Fitness, Maximum Fitness, Muscle and Fitness Hers, and Oxygen magazines. His trademarked Turbulence Training fat loss workouts have been featured multiple times in Mens Fitness and Maximum Fitness magazines and all over the Internet, and have helped thousands of men and women around the world lose fat, gain muscle, and get lean in less than 45 minutes three times per week. For more information on the Turbulence Training workouts that will help you burn fat without long, slow cardio sessions or fancy equipment, visit http://www.TurbulenceTraining.com Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Craig_Ballantyne http://EzineArticles.com/?Bodysculpting-for-Women:-Exercise-and-Weight-Loss-Strategies&id=396925 forumand testimonials about project payday online payday loans in canada faxless no credit check car loans kentucky pay day cash advance llc

Saving The World One Garage Sale at a Time

Saturday, June 7th, 2008

By Tom Smith There is a new grass roots movement taking off across the country, to raise funds for charity. It is called Garage Sales for Charity.org. A very simple effortless way for millions of individuals who have a garage sale to raise funds for their favorite charity. If you plan on having a garage sale you dont need to do anything special or different, all you need to do is commit to donating a minimum of $50 or 10% or your sales to your favorite charity. Any charity–your local food shelf, church program, local shelter, national charity, wherever you feel it will do the most good. Garage Sales for Charity does not handle any of the funds donated. They simply act as a central resource for ideas and promotion. The simplicity of this plan is what makes it so appealing. Effortless fund raising for charities during the slow summer months when donations are down. There are no ulterior motives or agendas to promote. There are no million dollar budgets behind this, no expensive tv commercials, no celebrity endorsements. They are not affiliated with any organization, charity or political group. One person, one garage sale can make a difference. This is grass roots at its best. Garage Sales for Charity would like to keep track of donations and charities so they can post it on their website. They plan on keeping a running total of funds donated. The potential is huge! It only takes 100 people participating every week in every state would raise $1,000,000 a month for charities across the country. This is money they would have otherwise never seen, during the months they may need it the most. Charities can hop on board by including garagesalesforcharity.org web address in all their fund raising materials, giving the people who they count on the most, one more way to raise funds. Right now they really need everyones help to get the word out about this program. Check out their website for full information. Sell, donate, feel good! http://www.garagesalesforcharity.org Tom Smith is a writer and the creative force behind several websites. Please help http://www.garagesalesforcharity.org by freely redistributing this article. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tom_Smith http://EzineArticles.com/?Saving-The-World-One-Garage-Sale-at-a-Time&id=35387 bad credit installment loan] uk loan lenders that gives out personal loans to caribbean people fast title loan canadian payday loans

Online Dating Services Advantages

Sunday, June 1st, 2008

By Erick Shipmon Tired of the cattle call down at the local bar? Are those supposed happy hours enough to make you need to go into therapy? Have you all but given up on finding anyone to date? Then you, my friend, are ready to sign up for an online dating service membership. Not only does an online dating service offer you the chance to connect with lots of singles that you wouldnt mind being seen in public with, but that you might also someday be willing to take home to meet Mom. An online dating service definitely expands your dating options and for a fraction of what youre paying for all those drinks and dry cleaning bills from all those drinks spilled on you costs. If that isnt reason enough to move your mouse over to the sign up page of an online dating service, then it may help that online dating services provide you with the opportunity to search for dates anonymously. You dont have to post a picture of yourself or provide any personal information. This lets you meet people in a totally safe way and puts you in charge of when, and if, you divulge your identity. You can get to know someone first, before deciding whether to show off your gorgeous self or give them your real name. And now, lets talk choices. Unless youre in a large city where there are lots of cool people just like you or that youd be interested in going out with, your choices for dates may just be a little on the low side. It may be so bad that youre in the negative figures when it comes to dating choices. Well, you wont have that problem when youre a member of an online dating site. Plus youre not stuck with people just in your area, but you have choices all over the world, people who are looking for long-lasting relationships, just like you. An online dating service also allows you to be totally secure while making your connections. If anyone ever starts to harass you, make you uncomfortable, or heaven forbid, threatens you, you can report them to the online dating service and likely that persons membership will be revoked. At the very least, the dating service will block that person from contacting you. If only you could do that with that cretin you knew back in the sixth grade who just will not stop calling you! Erick Shipmon has been an online marketer since 1997. He currently is the President and CEO of http://www.eDatingPlanet.com which is quickly becoming the hottest and most desirable online dating community on the planet. eDatingPlanet.com online dating services include: E-mail, Live Chat, Live Video Cam, FREE VoIP Broadband Long Distance, and more! Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Erick_Shipmon http://EzineArticles.com/?Online-Dating-Services-Advantages&id=116180 gross paycheck pay day loans in daly city money tree payday loans i need a loan of 1000 quick 90days to pay back