Choice and Circumstance

As we begin to tackle our goals and resolutions it helps to first identify why we have failed to achieve them in the past. Why do we struggle with these particular issues? What keeps us from success in our chosen area?

The mantra of the modern day has migrated from “I’m offended!” to “It’s not my fault!” You’ve heard the arguments:

• “My obesity stems from my genetics; it’s just my bad luck.”
• “I’m poor because my lottery number hasn’t come up yet.”
• “I was drunk; I didn’t know what I was doing.”
• “I became so enraged I couldn’t help myself.”
• “I killed all of those kids at school because they picked on me.”
• “Stuff happens”

Circumstance plays a minor role in the outcome of our lives. Our choices determine the paths we take.

Do all children of diabetics end up with the disease? Do all women whose mothers suffered from breast cancer contract it too? Do all children of alcoholics become slaves to the bottle? What about obesity, poverty, illiteracy, under-education?

If we find ourselves in any of these circumstances can we make choices that reduce or eliminate our risks? Of course we can. Millions have, and so can we.

Even if we have inherited a genetic predisposition to obesity, we can become slim by doing what slim people in our circumstance do.

To become wealthy or debt-free we must do what wealthy and debt-free people in our circumstance do.

Has anyone in your circumstance ever slimmed down to his ideal weight? Has anyone in your circumstance ever worked her way out of debt? Has anyone at your level of fitness ever trained for and completed a marathon? Why not you?

Tendencies do not determine behavior. They only influence it. We choose our behavior.

If we will ever achieve our goals and resolutions we must choose to overcome our tendencies and predispositions, we must stop citing external factors, and we must begin to take control of our lives.

The most important factor in your goal achievement success will be your decision to take responsibility for your life. No matter what tendencies you have inherited you can assume control of your life. You can be thin. You can live debt-free. You can beat your addictions to tobacco, alcohol, illicit drugs. You can succeed in business. You can start a home business. You can return to college and obtain your long-desired degree. You can write a book. You can finish a 10K or a marathon. You can start a non-profit foundation and bless the lives of millions. You can live in harmony with your faith and beliefs.

Will you find your quest to your goals easy? I hope not. Nearly all worthwhile quests are difficult. The difficulty enriches the victory. If running 26.2 miles were as easy as driving that distance, who would want to achieve it? The value of a thing lies in the cost of attaining it.

Take full responsibility today. Find a way to finally live the life of your dreams.

Quotes

In reading the lives of great men, I found that the first victory they won was over themselves… self-discipline with all of them came first. Harry S. Truman

Discipline yourself to do the things you need to do when you need to do them, and the day will come when you will be able to do the things you want to do when you want to do them! Zig Ziglar

No horse gets anywhere until he is harnessed. No stream or gas drives anything until it is confined. No Niagara is ever turned into light and power until it is tunneled. No life ever grows great until it is focused, dedicated, disciplined. Harry Emerson Fosdick

Discipline is remembering what you want. David Campbell

It is one of the strange ironies of this strange life that those who work the hardest, who subject themselves to the strictest discipline, who give up certain pleasurable things in order to achieve a goal, are the happiest men. When you see 20 or 30 men line up for a distance race in some meet, don’t pity them, don’t feel sorry for them. Better envy them instead. Brutus Hamilton

To Get More We Must Become More

Motivation isn’t enough

We can accomplish much good if we have the right motivation. This motivation often springs from a defining moment in which we say, “Enough!”

However, motivation alone will not carry us to our goals. We must employ vision, planning, action, and discipline. We must build within ourselves the right skills to succeed in our chosen areas.

Skill-building

Imagine setting a goal to double your income in five years. Many paths can lead you to achieve your goal: changing jobs; starting a business; and writing books. You could choose dozens of actions to help you double your income.

Most likely, you’ll need to build new skills. You will need to improve and broaden your existing abilities.

Balanced learning

To enhance your opportunities, you can spend your entire life obtaining learning. It’s never too late to learn new skills and ideas.

Study a variety of subjects. Don’t confine yourself to one area of learning. If you develop broad knowledge in a variety of areas you can adapt your career to meet the market demands.

Also, through balancing your study, you will become a more engaging conversationalist. Your understanding of world events will grow.

Perseverence

Be resolute like Heber J. Grant.

Mr. Grant, a great religious leader in the western United States, loved hymns. Unfortunately, he could not carry a tune. Daughter Frances says of her father, “He had no sense of pitch at all. You could play a note on the piano then play a note four notes higher, and he could not tell if it was higher or lower.”

At age ten, he joined a singing class and the professor told him that he could never learn to sing. Some years later, a man told Grant that he could learn to sing, but the man said he would like to be forty miles away while Heber practiced.

But Grant persevered. “He would practice,” Frances recalled, “just playing a note on the piano with one finger and practice and practice. Of all his accomplishments he was proudest of learning to sing.”

Grant said, “The most I ever worked was to sing 400 songs in four days.” It may also have been the most work for Rudger Clawson and J. Golden Kimball too. On a trip with these two, Grant asked if they had any objection to his singing 100 hymns that day.

“After I had sung about forty tunes,” he recorded, “they assured me that if I sang the remaining sixty they would be sure to have nervous prostration.”  He sang the full 100.

Heber J. Grant often quoted Ralph Waldo Emerson: “That which we persist in doing becomes easy to do; not that the nature of the thing has changed, but that our power to do has increased.”

Building a library

Business philosopher Jim Rohn encourages us to leave three important legacies for our families:
. our life in pictures
. our life written in our journals, and
. an abundant library

Building a library is a wonderful labor of love. We not only lift ourselves, but we also elevate our families.

Areas of study

Rohn suggests these sections for your library:

. History
. Philosophy
. Biographies and autobiographies
. Law
. Fine literature
. Accounting
. Economics
. Culture (Art, music, dance)

I would add the following sections:
. Spirituality
. Business
. Personal development

As you build your skills, seek balance in your learning, and build great libraries, you position yourself for success in all areas of your life: your personal life, your family life, your spiritual life, your professional life, and your financial life.

As you learn new skills and ideas, you will become one who can succeed in the areas of your choosing.

Balanced success through balanced learning.

Quotes

Formal education will make you a living; self-education will make you a fortune. Jim Rohn

Learning is the beginning of wealth. Learning is the beginning of health. Learning is the beginning of spirituality. Searching and learning is where the miracle process all begins. Jim Rohn

Never begrudge the money you spend on your own education. Jim Rohn

To earn more, you must learn more. Brian Tracy

None of us…knows enough. The learning process is an endless process. We must read, we must observe, we must assimilate, and we must ponder that to which we expose our minds. Gordon B. Hinckley

Hoping and dreaming of a better world are not enough if we are unwilling to work; but when we work towards our dreams, wonderful things can happen. Lloyd Newell

Men are anxious to improve their circumstances, but are unwilling to improve themselves; they therefore remain bound. The man who does not shrink from self-crucifixion can never fail to accomplish the object upon which his heart is set. This is true of earthly as of heavenly things. Even the man whose object is to acquire wealth must be prepared to make great personal sacrifices before he can accomplish his object; and how much more so he who would realize a strong and well-poised life. James Allen

We Hit the Targets of Our Focus

In the spring of 2004, my wife and I enjoyed a week-

long bicycle ride across Missouri on the Katy Trail. During

the ride I enjoyed hours and hours of contemplation and I

made several observations.

Throughout the beautiful ride I noticed that when I saw

a stick or rock on the path ahead and watched it carefully

so I could miss it with my wheels, I usually hit it. The

more I focused on the objects, the more likely I would run

over them.

I also noticed that if I focused harder on missing it, I could.

We hit the targets of our focus.

To live a life of balanced happiness, we must focus on

all of the most important areas of our lives. If we provide

enough focus on our marriage, our love will grow and our

relationship strengthens. Our families will remain close,

supportive, and loving if focus on them.

If you have a religious faith, live it fully. Be steadfast in

keeping the standards of your faith. Don’t let situations

dictate your religious performance. Let nothing dissuade

you. Dedicate adequate time to your spiritual growth.

As we focus on our careers, we will achieve the success

we pursue.

Some simple tips follow. If you use the following tips as

minimum focus requirements you will be well on your way

to balanced happiness.

. Have a weekly date with your spouse. Be creative.

. Be consistent.

. Once a week, let no outside influence keep you from

spending concentrated time with your family. Protect the

evening. Turn off your phones. Play games, eat delicious

refreshments, and teach your values to your children.

. Consistently eat dinner with your family. Make your family

dinners pleasurable experiences.

. Set aside daily time for spiritual study, prayer and reflection.

. Work hard when you are at work. Concentrate your

efforts on meeting your most important professional goals.

. Listen, observe, and learn from life continually.

. Take time to ponder the status of your marital, family,

spiritual, and professional lives. Assess your effectiveness

in each area. Make improvements as needed.

These steps will not guarantee balanced success and

happiness. But by following them, focusing on these four

important areas of your life, you will certainly improve your

balanced success.

You take control of your life by setting boundaries on

outside interference from less important sources.

We hit the targets of our focus.

Related Quotes

If you focus on results, you will never change. If you focus

on change, you will get results.

Jack Dixon

There is one quality which one must possess to win, and

that is definiteness of purpose, the knowledge of what one

wants and a burning desire to possess it.

Ronald Reagan

Keep your eye on eternal goals.

John H. Groberg

The successful woman is the average woman—focused.

Ruth Williams

It’s not what’s happening to you now or what has happened

in your past that determines who you become. Rather, it’s your

decisions about what to focus on, what things mean to you,

and what you’re going to do about them that will determine

your ultimate destiny.

Anthony Robbins

If you focus on results, you will never change. If you focus

on change, you will get results.

Jack Dixon

The Half-full Glass

A few years ago a huge thunder and rain storm

caused American Airlines to cancel my flight

home from Dallas. I had been away from home

all week and was anxious to get home to my

beautiful wife Kathy.

To add to my aggravation, the airlines didn’t

cancel the flight until I had already turned in my

rental car. Stranded at DFW with no car, I felt

exhausted and irritated.

As directed, I phoned the airline’s reservation

center to arrange for a flight home the next day.

My frustration grew as I sat at the airport,

phone to my ear, listening to the recorded auto-

attendant explain how important my call was to

her. Ten minutes passed, then twenty.

Finally, a real person came on the line and

offered to assist me. I sensed that she felt as much

frustration as I. Instead of venting to this poor

woman, I chose to exercise patience. I mentioned

that she and her co-workers must be quite busy

with the storms plaguing the area. Near tears,

she indicated that the last caller had cursed her

savagely and harangued her for nearly thirty

minutes. She appreciated my patience.

I expressed my sympathy.

The next morning, I found that the reservation

clerk, responding to my simple compassion, had

upgraded me to first class. As I sat in the extra-

wide seat, drinking soda from a glass made of

real crystal, I reflected on the powerful effect of

focusing on the part of the glass that contained

the liquid, rather than the empty half.

Often our attitudes attract the treatment life

hands us. Through our attitudes we can influence

whether we find favor or martyrdom. We

can opt to see our challenges as defeats or as

opportunities. We choose to see in others the

best or the worst. We can look to the future with

excitement and anticipation, or we can live with

worry and stress.

Our “luck” springs from our expectations.

Several times a week, I walk a six-mile loop

around a local lake. As I hike the beautiful path I

pick up litter left behind by my fellow walkers. I

scan to the right and left of the trail looking f

or tissues, wrappers, cans, and bottles. I have

become accustomed to looking for trash. I expect

it.

Once I spied a clump of white objects up

ahead. I assumed someone had carelessly

dumped several small pieces of paper. I was

looking for trash and I had found it.

However, as I neared the white bits, I found

that the trash wasn’t trash at all. There stood

dozens of small and beautiful white wildflowers.

We see what we expect.

When we seek the goodness in life and in

others, we find it. When we choose to

recognize the positive side of life we become

more interesting and fun to be around, we find

deeper intimacy, and we reduce our negative stress.

Work on yourself. Notice your initial reactions

to people. Must others prove themselves to you

before you see their goodness? Notice your

expectations for life. Do you expect good to

happen to you? Do you look upon setbacks as

“just my luck” or as temporary conditions?

We attract to ourselves good or bad fortune—

half full or half empty. Which do you prefer?

Related Quotes

Something happens inside of us when we are

courteous and deferential toward others. It is all

part of a refining process, which if persisted in,

will change our very natures.

Gordon B. Hinckley

The state of your life is nothing more than a

reflection of your state of mind.

Dr. Wayne W. Dyer

The optimist sees opportunity in every danger;

the pessimist sees danger in every opportunity.

Winston Churchill

A great attitude does much more than turn on

the lights in our worlds; it seems to magically

connect us to all sorts of serendipitous opportunities

that were somehow absent before the change.

Earl Nightingale

Hard Times Can Lead Us to the Good Life

I was planning to write about the first element of my Creed

today as I promised last week. But I’ve been prompted to

give you this article instead.

I assume one or more of you need this message.

I try to follow my promptings (that’s also one of my creed

elements).

==============================================

Hard Times Can Lead Us to the Good Life

==============================================

In two years I suffered many serious challenges.

At the beginning of this period I endured an intense job

challenge. For twelve long months I labored night and day

under terrible strain. Then, in a sweep of all senior

management, I lost my job. A few months later my father

passed away after years of suffering from emphysema and

lung cancer.

Then, my wife underwent serious and difficult surgery. Next,

my volunteer service to the refugees from Sudan took

several difficult turns, including a week in which Kathy and I

went into hiding because of serious death threats.  The stork

delivered our grandson Wyatt seven weeks too early. Our

precious little guy remained in intensive care for weeks. And

lastly, I fell down my front steps and suffered a serious spiral

fracture in my foot.

Everyone endures trials. Usually they come less rapid-fire,

but we all suffer from life’s challenges. Business failures,

wayward children, sicknesses, injuries, death of loved ones,

or financial ruin can strike anyone. These challenges can tear

us down or they can build us up. We choose.

Why do we face adversity? What can we gain from our

difficulties? The most pertinent answers to these questions

spring from deep spiritual principles. But this isn’t the forum

to discuss them.

Hard times challenge everyone. But why?

To Help Us Appreciate the Better Times

Normally, we think little of a tall glass of ice water and a cool

shower. But after mowing grass for two hours in the hot

August sun we crave them.

Just as hot summer days help us appreciate the cooler days

of autumn, so failure and rejection help us appreciate our later

successes.

John Grisham couldn’t get his first novel, A Time to Kill,

published. So he self-published and sold the books out of his

car trunk. Louis L’Amour received 350 rejections before his

first sale. He later went on to have more than 200 million

copies in print. Dr. Seuss’ first children’s book was rejected

by twenty-seven publishers. Mary Higgins Clark received

forty rejections, Jack London 600, and Alex Haley received

one rejection per week for four years.

I feel sure these early rejections made sweeter their million

dollar contracts.

To Build Our Strength and Endurance

Beginning runners strain at jogging a mere mile. But after

months of marathon distance training they can run fifteen

miles as an easy day.

Our trials can help us build our strength and endurance so

that we can endure the later challenges in our lives, and they

help us propel ourselves to greater achievement.

Consider Roger Bannister. As a young man, he suffered the

crippling effects of polio and was told that we would never

walk. By drawing on this adversity he pushed himself to

greatness; he became the first man to run a sub-four-minute

mile. His affliction propelled him to the most noted track feat

in history.

To Teach Us Valuable Life Lessons

. From our misfortunes we can learn such lessons as:

. We reap what we sow

. We must honor our promises

. The good life is more than gaining wealth, and

. Leave plumbing to the professionals (I speak from personal

experience on this one.)

To Help Us Gain Greater Empathy for Others

After experiencing many of life’s challenges, we feel more

understanding and empathy in the trials of those around us.

We seek to help them through their difficulties, and we can

better comfort and encourage them.

We can convert our hard times into the good life. We need

only learn from our challenges and turn them to our

advantage.

==============================================

Related Quotes

Difficult times have helped me to understand better than

before how infinitely rich and beautiful life is in every way

and that so many things that one goes worrying about are

of no importance whatsoever. Isak Dinesen

Prosperity discovers vice, adversity discovers virtue.

Francis Bacon

Victory is sweetest when you’ve known defeat.

Malcolm Forbes

When one door closes another door opens; but we often look

so long and so regretfully upon the closed door, that we do

not see the ones which open for us. Alexander Graham Bell

Most successful people can identify one minute, one moment,

where their lives changed, and it usually occurred in times of

adversity. Willie Jolley

The most extraordinary thing about the oyster is this.

Irritations get into his shell. He does not like them. But when

he cannot get rid of them, he uses the irritation to do the

loveliest thing an oyster ever has a chance to do. If there are

irritations in our lives today, there is only one prescription:

make a pearl. It may have to be a pearl of patience, but,

anyhow, make a pearl. And it takes faith and love to do it.

Henry Emerson Fosdick

The Value of Creeds

Why do so many organizations develop creeds for their members to follow?

I enjoy the opportunities to speak to many groups. One of my favorites is the Optimist Club. At the beginning of every meeting the Optimists stand and recite the Optimist Creed from memory. They start with:

“Promise yourself

. To be so strong that nothing can disturb your peace of mind.

. To talk health, happiness and prosperity to every person you meet.

. To make all your friends feel that there is something in them.

. To look at the sunny side of everything and make your optimism come true….”

And more.

The Boy Scout law acts as a creed of a sort. “A scout is trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean, and reverent.”

The young women of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints repeat their theme at every meeting. It reminds them of their divine worth and of their values as young women.

So I repeat my question, why do so many organizations develop creeds for their members to follow?

Creeds state the values and attributes of the ideal members. They give them summits for which they can strive. Creeds serve as reminders of the ideal. They serve as a type of visualization in which the members sees themselves in the states they desire.

We would do well to develop our own creeds. What would we be like if we were to become like our ideal person. What values would we live? How would we treat others? What habits would we develop?

I urge you to develop your own creed. I have assembled one that represents my own values. May I share this rather personal information with you? Feel free to copy any of my elements into your own.

I promise

. To look at the bright side of life.

. To expect prosperity.

. To continually work to improve my core.

. To take responsibility for my results.

. To perceive others’ needs and to find a way to help.

. To report openly, truthfully, and consistently to my accountability team.

. To keep a daily journal of my progress.

. To love and be loyal to my accountability team.

. To act on my promptings immediately.

. To live life with enthusiasm.

. To focus on the good in everyone and every situation.

. To be an inspiration to all.

. To lead others to their own successes.

. To play all out.

. To celebrate my successes and the successes of others.

For the next few weeks, I plan to elaborate on these elements of my creed. We’ll explore each one thoroughly.

I would also like to hear from you. Will you tell me about the creeds, themes, laws, of your group? Will you share with me and the readers the elements of your own creed?

We can learn from each other.

I wish you every success and happiness.

==============================================

The Connectors: How the World’s Most Successful

Businesspeople Build Relationships and Win Clients for Life

==============================================

As you know – relationships are critically important in business.

The key isn’t knowing relationships are important, though. The

key is knowing what to do to make them better. Through

interviews of hundreds of successful businesspeople, CEO’s

and founders of companies, Maribeth Kuzmeski has found and

detailed the tangible how to’s of creating better business

relationships. In her new book, “The Connectors: How The

World’s Most Successful Businesspeople Build Relationships

and Win Clients for Life” Maribeth outlines the approaches

used by the world’s most prolific connectors that has lead to

their ability to create powerful business relationships.

For more information go to

http://www.theconnectorsbook.com/

Tune Your Marketing Message

Your prospects are less interested in you than they are in

themselves. Their ears are tuned to hear solutions to their

problems, ways to reach their goals, and products that will

help them feel good or at least look good to their friends.

These prospective customers tune out the blah, blah, blah

about you and your company. They rarely care about “how”

you meet those needs or about how smart you are.

Benefits Not Features

So many small business people and independent

professionals tell all about their credibility, their training,

and how well they perform. But prospects don’t care. They

want to know what benefits will receive if they do business

with you.

Do those benefits solve their problems, help them reach

their goals, or make them feel good? Your PhD doesn’t stir

their hearts. In fact, it probably puts distance between you

and them if you overuse the title.

Good marketing messages are targeted to the needs and

wants of the prospects. My target audience is independent

small business people who want attract more clients. They

are frustrated because conventional marketing methods

are expensive and complicated.

So it’s important for me to know what they want and

communicate to them how I can help them get what they

want.

The same principle applies to your message. Who is your

target market? What do they crave? Tell them that you can

help them obtain what they want.

Good marketing messages do the following:

. Stir emotion

. Show confidence

. Create curiosity

You want to hit the heart by clearly defining the results

your clients receive when they work with you. Facts rarely

spur action-emotions do.

By showing confidence you establish credibility. People

like to do business with winners. Your confidence builds

theirs.

You marketing message can’t answer every question. In

fact, it should generate more of them. A curious prospect

is more likely to contact you for more information.

Where do you tell your story? You tell it on your:

. Website

. Marketing brochures

. Sales letters

. LinkedIn profile

. Other promotional materials

I challenge you to take a fresh look at your marketing

messages and tune them to the needs and interests of

your prospects.

You can do it. But if you need help, give me a call.

==============================================

Prepare for the Holidays

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==============================================

==============================================

Hire David to Speak to Your Business Group or Association.

==============================================

David teaches his clients and audiences low cost, high

producing marketing methods. His Almost Free

Marketing presentations simplify the maze of marketing,

networking, and social media.

His audiences and clients come away from his

presentations with useful tips and strategies to help them

attract more referrals and sales. They learn how to make

their entire networking experience delightful for themselves

and for their contacts.

David is an award-winning speaker with hundreds of

speeches under his belt. He received the highest

communicator award from Toastmasters

International and is a member of the National Speakers

Association.

==============================================

Please Join My Online Networks

==============================================

http://www.LinkedIn.com/in/daviddeford

http://www.Twitter.com/DavidDeFord

==============================================

Partner Services I Highly Recommend

==============================================

My friend Nancy Kirk has created a great companion

to my book. “The Big Little Book of Thank You Notes”

is filled with templates for thank you notes of every

variety.

If you want to show your appreciation to colleagues,

customers, clients, networking friends, prospects, or

family members, this book will help you make the

best impact.

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From David’s Bookshelf – Social Media Books

Last week I told you about my favorite marketing books. I appreciate your positive feedback.

This week I feature my favorite social media books.

So many of us have trouble seeing the value in social media. It seems like a real time waster.

Well, for many it is. But if you study how to use these tools effectively, they can actually help you attract

more referrals and clients.

This is the last of the three “From the Bookshelf…” articles. Next week, we’ll discuss how to tune

your marketing messages.

I’ve included convenient links for you to get more information.

I’d love to hear your thoughts on any of these books.

If you have others you particularly like, let me know about those too.

Marketing

How to Really Use LinkedIn, Jan Vermeiren

http://alturl.com/nix4

Twitter: How Short Messages Can Make a Big

Difference to Your Business, Joel Comm

http://alturl.com/geaa

Twitter Revolution: How Social Media and Mobile Marketing is Changing the Way We Do Business

& Market Online, Deb Micek & Warren Whitlock

http://alturl.com/jh9g

YouTube for Business, Michael Miller

http://alturl.com/m9y2

Facebook Marketing, Steve Holzner

http://alturl.com/2ifk

Facebook: How Social Networking Can Improve

Your Online Business, Joel Comm

http://alturl.com/ydnz

Social Media Marketing an Hour a Day, Dave Evans

http://alturl.com/q9hw

==============================================

Hire David to Speak to Your Business Group or Association.

==============================================

David teaches his clients and audiences low cost, high producing marketing methods. His Almost Free

Marketing presentations simplify the maze of marketing, networking, and social media.

His audiences and clients come away from his presentations with useful tips and strategies to help them

attract more referrals and sales. They learn how to make their entire networking experience delightful for themselves

and for their contacts.

David is an award-winning speaker with hundreds of speeches under his belt. He received the highest

communicator award from Toastmasters International and is a member of the National Speakers

Association.

==============================================

Please Join My Online Networks

==============================================

http://www.LinkedIn.com/in/daviddeford

http://www.Twitter.com/DavidDeFord

==============================================

Partner Services I Highly Recommend

==============================================

My friend Nancy Kirk has created a great companion to my book. “The Big Little Book of Thank You Notes”

is filled with templates for thank you notes of every variety.

If you want to show your appreciation to colleagues, customers, clients, networking friends, prospects, or

family members, this book will help you make the best impact.

Just go to http://ambassadorofappreciation.com/ for more information.

I’ve advertised on the radio, made cold calls, and employed numerous marketing methods, but I’ve attracted more clients

through my use of SendOutCards than all of the other methods combined. That’s the truth.

I compose the card online and SendOutCards prints it with my handwriting and signature, addresses it, stamps it, and

takes it to the post office. It’s fantastic!

If you’d like to send a couple of free cards go to

http://www.SendOutCards.com/deford.

I have used InstantPublisher for all four of my print books. They provide professional quality books at any quantity in

around two weeks.

Their simple online price quote page allows you to tweak your quantities to get the best deal.

I give them my highest endorsement.

http://www.instantpublisher.com/default.asp?afcc=1466

From David’s Bookshelf – Marketing Books

Last week I told you about my favorite

networking books. Many of you thanked me for

the good information.

This week I feature my favorite marketing books.

I’ve included convenient links for you to get more

information.

I’d love to hear your thoughts on any of these books.

If you have others you particularly like, let me know

about those too.

Marketing

Self Marketing Power, Jeff Beals

http://alturl.com/aet8

Appreciation Marketing, Tommy Wyatt & Curtis Lewsy

http://alturl.com/ye9v

Inspired Marketing, Joe Vitale, Craig Perrine

http://alturl.com/9sdz

Guerrilla Marketing for Consultants, Jay Conrad

Levinson, Michael W. McLean

http://alturl.com/yqy5

Tuned In: Uncover the Extraordinary Opportunities

That Lead to Business Breakthroughs, Craig Stull,

Phil Myers, and David M. Scott

http://alturl.com/9m3n

Get Slightly Famous, Steven Van Yoder

http://alturl.com/skgn

The Irresistible Offer, Mark Joyner

http://alturl.com/q9qi

Beyond Buzz, Lois Kelly

http://alturl.com/o5pc

Guerrilla Marketing, Jay Conrad Levinson

http://alturl.com/43a5

Pop! Stand Out in Any Crowd, Sam Horn

http://alturl.com/qh3y

The New Rules of Marketing & PR, David Meerman

Scott

http://alturl.com/2yrt

1001 Ways to Market Your Services, Rick Crandall

http://alturl.com/uq5j

Hot Button Marketing, Barry Feig

http://alturl.com/9ghx

Duct Tape Marketing, John Jantsch

http://alturl.com/fj8o

==============================================

Hire David to Speak to Your Business Group or Association.

==============================================

David teaches his clients and audiences low cost, high

producing marketing methods. His Almost Free

Marketing presentations simplify the maze of marketing,

networking, and social media.

His audiences and clients come away from his

presentations with useful tips and strategies to help them

attract more referrals and sales. They learn how to make

their entire networking experience delightful for themselves

and for their contacts.

David is an award-winning speaker with hundreds of

speeches under his belt. He received the highest

communicator award from Toastmasters

International and is a member of the National Speakers

Association.

==============================================

Please Join My Online Networks

==============================================

http://www.LinkedIn.com/in/daviddeford

http://www.Twitter.com/DavidDeFord

==============================================

Partner Services I Highly Recommend

==============================================

My friend Nancy Kirk has created a great companion

to my book. “The Big Little Book of Thank You Notes”

is filled with templates for thank you notes of every

variety.

If you want to show your appreciation to colleagues,

customers, clients, networking friends, prospects, or

family members, this book will help you make the

best impact.

Just go to http://ambassadorofappreciation.com/ for

more information.

I’ve advertised on the radio, made cold calls, and employed

numerous marketing methods, but I’ve attracted more clients

through my use of SendOutCards than all of the other

methods combined. That’s the truth.

I compose the card online and SendOutCards prints it with

my handwriting and signature, addresses it, stamps it, and

takes it to the post office. It’s fantastic!

If you’d like to send a couple of free cards go to

http://www.SendOutCards.com/deford.

I have used InstantPublisher for all four of my print books.

They provide professional quality books at any quantity in

around two weeks.

Their simple online price quote page allows you to tweak

your quantities to get the best deal.

I give them my highest endorsement.

http://www.instantpublisher.com/default.asp?afcc=1466

From David’s Bookshelf – Networking Books

One of the best ways to stay out of a rut in your marketing

is to study the ideas of the experts.

As a service to my readers, I will publish for you the best

books in my bookshelf. I have read each one of these

books and can recommend them to you. Trust me, I

have this many others on my shelf which I cannot

endorse.

I’ve included convenient links for you to get more

information.

I’d love to hear your thoughts on any of these books.

If you have others you particularly like, let me know about those too.

This week, I’m featuring the best books about business networking.

Networking

Good News About Business Networking, David DeFord

http://www.DavidDeFord.com/goodnewsnetworking

The Go-Giver: A Little Story About a Powerful Business

Idea, Bob Burg, John David Mann

http://alturl.com/3uwi

Endless Referrals, Bob Burg

http://alturl.com/n49x

Masters of Networking, Ivan Misner

http://alturl.com/ax9h

Little Black Book of Connections, Jeffrey Gitomer

http://alturl.com/5aqt

Dig Your Well Before You’re Thirsty, Harvey Mackay

http://alturl.com/tt7x

Never Eat Alone, Keith Ferrazzi

http://alturl.com/25r7

Let’s Connect, Jan Vermeiren

http://alturl.com/f6tn

The Referral of a Lifetime, Tim Templeton

http://alturl.com/rzy7

Meet and Grow Rich, Joe Vitale, Bill Hibbler

http://alturl.com/cwbc

==============================================

Hire David to Speak to Your Business Group or Association.

==============================================

David teaches his clients and audiences low cost, high

producing marketing methods. His Almost Free

Marketing presentations simplify the maze of marketing,

networking, and social media.

His audiences and clients come away from his

presentations with useful tips and strategies to help them

attract more referrals and sales. They learn how to make

their entire networking experience delightful for themselves

and for their contacts.

David is an award-winning speaker with hundreds of

speeches under his belt. He received the highest

communicator award from Toastmasters

International and is a member of the National Speakers

Association.

==============================================

Please Join My Online Networks

==============================================

http://www.LinkedIn.com/in/daviddeford

http://www.Twitter.com/DavidDeFord

==============================================