Unintended Results: Reviving The Single-Payer Option

If the government wants me to pay for a service - let's use health care as an example - it can tax me, and then decide how and when I can use the service. I pay a lot of tax money for Medicare and Medicaid, though I do not qualify for those benefits.

Maybe this is fine with me; maybe it isn't. I can express my feelings here or at the ballot box. It would do me no good to attack the system in court, because the courts long ago decided that the government can tax me to provide services, even services that are used only by other people.

If the government wants to expand Medicare to cover everyone in the country, it could do that, too. It would undoubtedly cost more, so I would undoubtedly pay more. That's the so-called single-payer option that many Democrats hoped would be part of the recent health care overhaul. This idea did not get off the ground, in large measure because American doctors do not wish to work solely for the U.S. government, and private health insurers do not wish to be put out of business.

So Congress required, instead, that beginning in 2014 virtually all Americans who are not otherwise covered must purchase private insurance. Backers of the health care reform did not see this as a problem. Congress could have forced all of us into a single, nationalized health insurance program; instead, it gave us a bit more freedom to choose, by allowing us to select among what are supposed to be multiple plans meeting certain minimum standards. We'll see soon enough - maybe - how well this works in the real world.

But the insurance requirement has emerged as the loose thread that could unravel the entire health care deal. This delights a lot of people who opposed the overhaul in the first place. Some want to keep the system we have had until now; others want a new reform package that concentrates more on controlling costs and less on universal coverage.

Virtually none of them want the other possible outcome of a successful challenge, which would be a revival of the single-payer idea.

Earlier this month, a Virginia federal judge became the first to rule part of the Affordable Care Act unconstitutional: specifically, the mandate that all citizens purchase insurance or face penalties.(1) Citing the Commerce Clause of the U.S. Constitution, Judge Henry E. Hudson ensured that higher courts will have dissenting opinions to consider. And it is virtually certain that, sooner rather than later, the new health care reform law will make it to the Supreme Court.

Two issues are at play here: the constitutionality of the law, and its wider economic implications. The former is a close enough question that the courts could go either way, and have so far; in addition to this decision, there have been two federal court decisions upholding the law's constitutionality, and 12 more cases thrown out altogether.(2) Another challenge to the law, backed by 20 states' attorneys general, is making its way through a federal court in Pensacola, Fla.

It will be interesting to see how the Supreme Court decides. There are other situations in which government mandates the purchase of private services. In Manhattan, restaurants and office buildings are required to hire private haulers to remove their trash. The system produced a lot of mob-dominated corruption years ago, and a lot of court action that followed, but, as far as I know, nobody has challenged its constitutionality.

Opponents of the insurance mandate claim it oversteps the government's power by forcing Americans to buy a product just by dint of existing. This distinguishes the law from, say, requirements for auto insurance, as citizens have the choice not to own a car. But the naysayers may be missing the bigger picture.

It boils down to the way insurance works. Collectively, we can't have insurance if people only buy it after they know they need it. Either everyone shares the risk (and the expense) or premiums become unaffordable. If the Affordable Care Act is ultimately found unconstitutional, we will be left with only the public option to address the policy goal of universal coverage.

The irony, then, is that those who are challenging the Affordable Care Act as it stands are the very people who could drive us to a public option in the end. Those who supported the public option may just need to sit back and wait until the challengers' court victories suddenly seem a lot less victorious. What remains to be seen is how close they get to the top of this uphill legal climb before they realize what's waiting for them at the summit.

Sources:

(1) Bloomberg Businessweek: Health-Care Reform Faces Long Legal Fight

(2) The Epoch Times: Affordable Health Care Act Forging Forward, Despite Challenges

For more articles, please visit the Palisades Hudson Financial Group LLC newsletter or subscribe to the blog.

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Traditional Marketing Tactics Fail to Produce Results in Today's Business Environment

Is your marketing message getting through to your target audience? Is it as effective as it once was or should be? Probably not and here is why.

The National Association of Realtors reports that they have 1.1 million members and there is no mystery that existing home sales are down significantly. There are simply too many agents chasing too few transactions. Add to that the fact that there have been many forces at work in recent years that are changing the way consumers respond to advertising and marketing messages. We are living in an over communicated world that has consumers tuned out and trusting less. What follows is an outline of the problem and the contributing factors.

Business through the ages:

What follows is a look at how our economic base has changed over the years. It is important to know where we came from to understand where we are today and where we are going.

The Agrarian Age

Farming and livestock formed our early economic base. The land gave us what we needed to feed and shelter ourselves. Trade amongst businesses was very prevalent at this time.

The Industrial Age

In the early part of the 20th Century, we witnessed the Industrial Age. We not only worked the land for food but also started to extract natural resources and raw materials to manufacture products. The challenges that companies faced were based on the productivity of workers and the efficiency of factories. Manual labor and hard work were thought to be the answer to higher output and increased profits.

The Information Age

The latter half of the 20th Century ushered in the beginning of the Information Age. The use of High Technology starts to change the game and the basis for our economic output. The Information Age gave us global companies like Microsoft and Intel and the products they produce enable even the smallest of companies to work smarter and not harder. We have gone from using our hands to using our heads. One of the most valuable assets a technology firm has is the knowledge and intellectual capital of its workers.

The Relationship Age

We are now entering a period where we are starting to understand the power of relationships. It is through human relationships that we are seeing new ways to capture and keep customers. If done properly, you create customers for life. The rapid rise in Social Media sites shows peoples true desire to connect with each other. When you take all of this into consideration, it is clear we are living in a Relationship Age

The following key factors have also brought us to this Relationship Age

The Cocooning trend

Faith Popcorn coined the term Cocooning in the 1980's. This trend sees people socializing less and retreating to their homes more. The trend is commercially significant in that it changes the way we reach out to obtain and retain customers. This trend is also a direct assault on brick and mortar businesses. Some examples of cocooning are working from home, internet home delivery of goods, home theaters, gated communities, surveillance cameras and many other services that allow the consumer to retreat and stay home. The Internet has enabled this trend to continue and further points to the need to embrace new tactics for the Relationship Age.

Mistrust in corporations

Over the last decade, consumers have started to develop mistrust in companies. You only need to think back to the Enron, WorldCom and Cendant scandals, to name a few, to see how we got here. For many corporations, regaining the trust of the consumer has been their primary mission. Mistrust in businesses is at an all time high. A recent survey by the public relations firm Edelman shows that only 44% of Americans said they trusted business as a whole. This is down from 58% in the fall of 2007 and the downward trend continues. Consumers are fed up with the status quo and are not going to take it anymore. Now more than ever, advertising messages are being viewed through skeptical eyes.

Mistrust in leaders

Along with a general mistrust in business is mistrust in public figures and leaders. On an almost daily basis, we see another disgraced Politician, CEO, Religious figure or Celebrity grace the front page of the newspaper. Whom we thought to be solid citizens giving sound advice has become anything but. This has also caused business to rethink how they go about advertising and marketing to new and existing customers.

These factors all lead to the consumers need to have a louder voice in what they buy and how business is transacted. The increasing popularity of consumer review sites is aiding them in protecting one another from unscrupulous businesses. As countries around the world struggle with economic challenges, people are yearning for deeper relationships and more say in the process. People worldwide seek more than material wealth and superficial contacts. They want environmental consciousness, business reform and a deeper level of connection with companies, people and the products and services they provide.

The new forms of communication and technologies developed during the Information Age are changing the game. Our past frustrations with corporate performance, government, health care, education and environmental policy are providing the motivation for a new mindset. Enter the Relationship Age.

From Transactional Marketing to Relationship Marketing

The days of "doing the deal" and hit and run marketing are gone. Social Media tools and online technologies are allowing us to deal with customers on a more personal and cost-effective basis. We now have the technology to deal with each customer on a personal level and if done properly, create an outspoken advocate and a customer for life.

To do this you need to move from the old mindset of being product centric to the new reality of being people centric. It is all about the customer. By putting the customer first and serving their needs, we will back into running better businesses via a stronger brand and deeper relationships with our clients.

In the Information Age, employee's knowledge and intellectual capital were the primary currency for companies to keep their competitive edge. In the Relationship Age, it is the number and depth of connections with the customer that is the primary form of capital. It is a shift from Knowledge Capital to Social Capital. We move from serving companies by getting people to buy as much product or services as possible to serving the customer at the highest level and inducing them to buy and remain loyal to your brand over time.

Slow Sales Cycles

Real estate has one of the slowest sales cycles of any product or service. A typical client only needs your services once every 5 to 7 years at best. This makes staying in close touch with the client, adding value and gaining their referrals more important than in any other sales profession.

A Call for Change

When you take all of these factors into consideration, a change in the way you market your service is needed now more than ever. Change is inevitable and the rate at which our environment changes is getting faster and faster each year. How you adapt to that change will determine your level of success moving forward. You need business and marketing systems that speak to today's economy and demography to remain viable. You cannot employ the same old tired methods and tactics and expect to be successful in today's Relationship

Age.

Meeting the Challenge

Marketing has always been a costly endeavor, however, networking and the effective use of your networks and connections is often overlooked. Networking is the most powerful and professional form of selling when done properly. The rapid rise in social networking tools gives you the ability to learn an incredible amount of information about a contact and market to them in a personal and powerful way. Having a sound relationship management system will allow you to remain viable during the long sales cycles and garner a steady stream of referrals. People do business with and refer those they Know, Like and Trust. You must maintain that level of connection with everyone you know to reap the reward of referrals. By adding value to the lives of others, you will gain the success you deserve. If you want to make money, add value to the lives of others. If you want to make a lot of money, add a LOT of value. I have found that by helping others gain what they need all of my needs are met as well. These are RENA's principals of working in the Relationship Age. It starts with a mindset of giving. You need to give to others with the expectation of getting nothing in return.

Most of the marketing methods used by Realtors today have become common and generic. You need to stand out from the crowd if you expect your message to be heard in today's over communicated society.

Becoming a Commodity

Almost all real estate companies and agents are providing the same general services. When you become generic, the only thing you have left to compete on is price. This is one of the major reasons we have seen the decline in fees agents can charge. The public views real estate services as a generic commodity and are refusing to pay what they used to for the service. There are other factors involved in this as well such as the dramatic increase in average sales prices over a relatively short period. This makes the 6% fee much more significant. The internet has dealt a heavy blow to many other financial services and businesses such as insurance, stock brokerage and travel. It is actually amazing that the real estate industry has held up so well for so long. The fact is, our day is coming. If you want to remain viable, you need to provide unique and valuable services.

Niche and Specialization

One of the best ways to cut down on the amount of competition is to have a niche or area of specialization. If you look at the most successful people in the world, they share a few common traits. They all have great networks; they have top-notch coaches and have a specific niche they fill. Establishing yourself as an expert in a specific area gives you the ability to transmit a unique message and stand out from the crowd. You will also increase the amount of referrals you get from within your industry. Your niche does not necessarily have to be real estate specific, like first time buyers etc, you can specialize in a particular industry or represent a particular demographic.

Advanced Database Marketing

Your database holds the key to your success in building your business and relationships. A good database will allow you to do so much more than have contact information for mailings. By acquiring high value data, that is information on your contacts beyond name and address, you can begin to provide a high level of personalized services. Along with custom tailored marketing, you can also employ my cross endorsement and circle of endorsement strategies. Your database is the lifeblood of your business. Maintaining a database rich in information will put you on the path to creating a saleable business.

Identify Key Professionals

You can market your services to two different groups of people. You can spend a lot of time and money trying to find individuals that need to buy or sell real estate or you can work with other professionals that deal with MANY people that buy and sell on a regular basis. By understanding whom these professionals are and how to connect and add value to their lives, you will ensure you will have a steady stream of referral business in any market. You also need to understand the various roles people in your networks play such as Mavens, Subject Matter Experts and Thought and Opinion Leaders. By identifying these key people, you will find it much easier to broadcast your message and brand.

Become a Connector

As I stated earlier, by adding value to the lives of others, your business will grow to new heights. One way to do this is to connect the people in your database with others that will add value to each other. The average database contains 250 contacts. Within those contacts, there are people that should know each other and can add great value to each other's businesses. It is up to you to identify these connections and bring them together.

Branded Unique Services

Another way to stand out from the crowd is to have unique services you offer that are branded to and associated with your name. This is a process of looking at all of the tasks you do on a regular basis and putting your own unique spin on them. A simple example of this would be holding a new home orientation for buyers. After the close of escrow, have the property inspector join you at the home with the buyers for an orientation of the homes systems. You can use the internet to print out instructions for just about all systems and appliances the property may have. This is an excellent way to present the new home to the buyers and leave a lasting impression of service. There are so many steps throughout a transaction you can apply this thinking.

After Sale Services

Another important tool for operating in the Relationship Age is having strong after sale service programs. The actions you take add value to your client's lives and keep you top of mind for referrals. Things such as sending a repair person in for a few hours of free work for a buyer or rekeying the locks make strong statements about your service and make you stand out. I have a long list of service programs I am happy to share with you, just ask.

Referral and Reward Programs

In order to build a strong referral business you must have programs in place that reward that behavior. Teaching people how to refer you, giving them information they can pass on and rewarding them for their efforts are essential for you growth. I recommend having a "referral kit" that your clients can have readily available to aid in recommending you. The kit should contain you resume or bio, specific verbiage for them to use, references and some gift cards.

Conclusion

The economy and business climate has changed dramatically over the last few years yet most people continue to employ the same tactics and strategies that were created 20 or more years ago. The real estate industry is in dire need of fresh thinking for agents to remain viable in the coming years. Many well-funded enterprises are attempting to replace Realtors and reinvent the industry. This is a small sample of many unique strategies that I have created in my 20 plus years in the real estate business.

I urge you to contact me to learn more about RENA and the services I provide.

About Larry Klapow
Larry Klapow has been a luminary in Bay Area real estate for over 19 years. He has been an influential leader holding every position from top producing agent to President of the largest real estate firm in Northern California throughout his career. Using fresh thinking and creative ideas, he has mentored both individuals and entire offices to amazing success. Currently, Larry is the founder and CRO of RENA Professional Networks Inc. RENA is an innovative company that manages powerful networking teams, produces highly impactful seminars and coaches and mentors business leaders to their highest levels of achievement. Larry is also the author of the book "Effective Networking in the Relationship Age" and a member of the National Speakers Association.

Larry Klapow was the President of Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage's San Francisco Bay Area Region - incorporating 16 offices and a talented team of more than 1,000 real estate professionals. Prior to being named President in 2007, Larry was the Senior Vice President and Regional Manager of Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage's San Francisco-Peninsula region, a position that he held from 2001-2007. During his tenure, the San Francisco-Peninsula region's offices earned several outstanding accolades. Most notable was the San Francisco Van Ness office's achievement of number two producing office nationwide. This impressive accolade, combined with countless others, positioned the San Francisco-Peninsula region as one of Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage's most notable and productive regions in the country.

Prior to serving as Senior Vice President and Regional Manager, Larry was Manager of the company's award-winning Morgan Hill/Gilroy offices. Among Larry's impressive list of managerial accolades: member of the President's Council of Managers (1999-2006) and during his tenure, the Morgan Hill/Gilroy office earned the coveted Premier Office - honoring offices with consistent sales achievement for four consecutive years.

Five Ways of Winning the National Lottery That Get Results

The odds are against you. In fact, they are so against you it is more probable to be hit by a train whilst sitting in your living room.

However, although virtually impossible, hundreds of people actually hit the jackpot every year. Some of those "lucky" people win more often, deliberately.

Top Five Winning-the-Lottery Methods:

1. Statistical Predictability:

Repeated study of a game's past draws gives you an idea as to what to expect in relation to the stats' behaviour. What this means is that a pattern can be formed, therefore predicted, if enough data is gathered. This method depends on many factors, such as the make-up of a game and the particular stat that is being tested. Lottery predicting software is available for sale on the internet, but their success is not factually proven.

2. Lottery Syndicates:

Within a "Syndicate", the players increase their chances of winning by up to 3600%. Online automated syndicates provide an affordable way of playing because of the multiplication of the lines paid for. The apparent disadvantage would be having to share the winnings with your fellow syndicate members. However, the possibilities of winning are immensely increased and the odds are more in the player's favour.

3. Numerology Customized Predictions:

For those who believe in the power of Numerology for predicting your destiny (Life Path), prediction of the most favourable lottery numbers is possible via customized (according to one's name and date of birth) "Lucky Numbers" prediction. This method may be expensive if it requires the services of a professional numerologist (no guarantees are offered). Some numerology software is available for purchase on the internet, but dedicated lottery-predicting software based on numerology principles is (to date) still to be created. Some internet research will produce testimonials and success stories derived from this method.

4. Hand Picking Your Numbers:

Many of us, perhaps the majority, disregard the possibility of the power of our psyche being a force that acts to our benefit. Studies have shown that a type of six-sense ability is very much part of our functionality. Stories of people who have found themselves praying, wishing and dreaming over their lottery numbers before winning a massive amount of money may just "play" in favour to the fact that "Quick Dips" do not help your chances of winning. Statistics show a considerable higher number of lottery winners who "hand-picked" their lucky numbers.

5. Lottery Winning Systems:

Doubtful and incredible, but it does seem that many players DO win through the help of "Lottery Gurus". The secrets are not revealed to the public, and neither are they ever published in public domain (free of charge). The vast amount of testimonials in their websites is very tempting. One may wish to try it only to see what it is all about.... The most popular "Lottery Guru" out there is Ken Silver.

Find out how easy it is to win the lottery automatically with lottery syndicates by eLottery, visit: [http://www.easylotterycash.com]. Ken Silver has a system with proven results, visit: [http://www.winthelotterysystem.info]. Steve Palmers writes for a living and so far... he's loving it. Thanks for reading.

Produce Hefty Sales Results With These No-Cost Promo Tools

We're in a darn tough economy. Add to that the fact that writing generally is not the most lucrative of professions even in better times. So it's little wonder that the average author finds the cost and the challenge of promoting his/her book daunting.

Long months of writing. Days of intense anticipation. And at last this new gem rolls off the press. What should be time for glee often turns into somewhat of a horror with the sudden realization that the challenge is yours, not your publishers. Your plans to hire a PR firm are dashed when you see the fees they expect. You flounder when you realize you are there alone with no one to help you.

While this is particularly true for novice authors-and there are thousands of them coming out of POD houses-more experienced writers discover the old days of subsidized book tours and fancy launch parties are relics of the past. Publishers today expect YOU, the author, to pay the bill and do the work necessary to make the public aware of your masterpiece.

There is no question a quality PR firm, and there are several in our industry, can jump start your book on the path to success. But you likely don't have the thousands of dollars to retain them. Don't despair. There are ways to promote your book and build sales without breaking what little budget is available.

Writing articles on the Internet, much as I am doing right now, bears great fruit, but costs you nothing. Syndicators like EzineArticles and isnare are free to use. Yet they place your article in front of up to 40 or 50,000 readers. You add an appealing Resource Box at the end of your piece touting your book and giving full information on where to find it. You'll see your numbers grow quickly.

Reach out for quality book reviewers. Readers always pay more heed to favorable comments from an objective third party than they do to your pitch or that of your publisher. Cherry pick those you think are right from Amazon's Top 1,000 Reviewers. Head to Jim Cox's Midwest Book Review on the Internet for great advice and highly respected reviewers. Try Dan Poynter's ParaPubnewsletter for more possibilities. And you won't have to spend a penny.

Carefully dip your toe into social networking. Try Facebook because it has such a huge membership, Twitter because of its current popularity and if you have the time, LinkedIn particularly if your book deals with business or professional issues. Schedule a limited amount of time each week to keep your site updated and active, but don't let the fun of participation steal hours from your basic routine---writing.

Never overlook the incredible reach of broadcast. Radio talk shows are the activity of choice. There are many of them that deal with a wide variety of subjects, many of which will be related to the topic of your book, whether fiction or nonfiction. If your home area has a local TV station, go for it. National television is tough to crack, but it becomes a lot easier if you have a track record of regionals and lots of talk radio.

Getting booked on the air costs nothing. But it will take some effort on your part to reach and convince producers of your worth as an interviewee. There are companies that can help to place you on air. Steve Harrison's Bradley Communications, Annie Jennings PR, Rick Frischman's Planned TV Arts and Francine Silverman, author of "Talk Radio Wants You."

With the exception of broadcast, most of what I have introduced you to can be accomplished online. But don't ever forget the value of print publications. Whether you are seeking reviews from a newspaper or magazine or want to place an article, the exposure will benefit you tremendously.

Newspaper book sections have shrunk or disappeared completely. But think of the value of a review in a section of the paper that relates to your subject. Perhaps it's business or food, sports or finance, travel or the arts. Possibilities abound. The situation is similar for magazines. They are published in every imaginable field. Use directories like "Writer's Digest," published in on and offline versions or "The Wooden Horse" which I think is the best of the online directories.

There certainly are many other low cost or free promotional possibilities, but space does not allow me to cover them all. Use your imagination. Study what other authors are doing on the Web and off.

Most of all, make sure you have an active, interesting website crammed full of worthy information. (Post every article you write on your site,) Give the visitor an easy pathway to learn more about your book and hopefully to buy from a sales page on your site.

With these simple techniques and a strong website to act as a base to send material from and to receive responses, you will catapult your book to unexpectedly strong sales. But always remember: while it may take no money, it will take effort. Without real participation, no promotional program will succeed. Good luck!

Charles Jacobs is an author, book coach and writing instructor. His latest book, "The Writer Within You," has been named a BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR seven times. It has won gold and bronze medals. The book can be purchased at http://www.retireandwrite.com.

Treating Eczema Naturally - Discover One Method That Produces Quick Results

Treating eczema naturally may still seem like a new concept for most people who suffer from eczema, but the truth is that natural eczema treatments have been around for quite some time. Most people who have eczema are more than likely familiar with the typical treatment methods that they get from their doctor, such as a topical ointment or cream or an over the counter treatment of similar nature. Unfortunately, these "typical" medicines are starting to become more ineffective in treating eczema. Thankfully, there is the option of natural eczema treatments.

Why Are Traditional Eczema Treatments Taking the Back Seat?

You see, many of the common treatment methods for eczema are often ineffective. They only treat the symptoms of eczema, rather than heal it and prevent it from returning. Not only that, but the chemicals in these creams can be so strong that they can make eczema get worse. Nobody wants more pain than what they already have to endure. This is why treating eczema naturally has become favorable.

Natural treatments for eczema are not the new hype without reason. They are proven safe and effective, lessen the side effects associated with eczema treatment, are fairly inexpensive and easy to use, which is why they've gained so much popularity as of late.

One Natural Eczema Treatment That Works

There are a number of natural eczema remedies that you can use to help clear your eczema, but one treatment works the best of them all. And, you can find this in many homes across the nation. Heck, you probably have some in your home right now. What am I talking about? Oatmeal!

Oatmeal has been used in a number of home remedies to treat a variety of conditions. It's generally used for the skin, as it has incredible healing properties.

For eczema, oatmeal has a number of uses. Most popular are oatmeal baths or crushed oatmeal flakes mixed with a small amount of warm water to create a paste that is applied to the skin. No matter what type of treatment you use, oatmeal works to help restore moisture in the skin, reduce redness and swelling and will put a stop to the intense itching sensation that is caused by eczema.

Oatmeal is just one of the many things used in treating eczema naturally. Natural treatments tend to work better when used together with one another. Either way, if you haven't used oatmeal in your treatment routine, you should give it a shot. You'll be incredibly surprised at how fast acting it really is!

Wait - Before You Go, Read This Below:

Treating eczema requires a solid step by step plan of action. I know of a secret eczema treatment method that is not only guaranteed to help cure eczema, but has been proven to work for THOUSANDS of people just like you. And, you can get instant access to it right now - Just Click Here to find out more!

How to Produce Big B2B Marketing and Sales Results With a Small Budget

Many small- to medium-sized businesses fail due to a lack of an effective marketing and sales program. Entrepreneurs may be very good at their core business, but know very little about marketing. Certain people suffer from the theory espoused by Ralph Waldo Emerson, "If you build a better mousetrap, the world will beat a path to your door." They are innocently caught up in a love for their own products or services and believe the world will indeed beat a path to their door when prospects hear about the fantastic new product. This attitude is wrong, dangerous, and not in line with the practices of successful B2B marketers. In fact, more often than not, superior marketing beats a superior product.

Another reason for failure is that an effective marketing campaign is hard work. Since marketing is probably not what motivated the entrepreneur to open his or her business, it receives less priority than product development and other tasks. Marketing also often comes up short when scarce funds are allocated. Sadly, there are start-up companies that spend tens of thousands of dollars on furniture and equipment, while complaining that there is nothing left for marketing.

New companies also make a mistake by hiring expensive advertising agencies that are incapable of cost-effective, low-budget marketing. Or they hire marketing and sales talent from big companies, and these people are often clueless about how to get results on a limited budget. So if you are in a small company, be careful about hiring the hotshot from a big company to come solve your problems. It often doesn't work. This is not to say that everyone from a big company is incapable of being effective with a smaller budget-some are great no matter the company size.

Small to medium businesses and start-ups face two major obstacles not shared by larger, entrenched companies. First, if you happen to be a small fish in a large pond, you will be confronted by competitors with much larger advertising and marketing budgets. Second, you may have to spend a larger percentage of your revenues on marketing than older, established organizations.

Given the reality of this situation, you need to squeeze as much efficiency as possible out of every dollar. Be assured that you can do a lot on a limited budget, and expensive does not always mean better. I've often used limited-budget strategies to beat the big players and you can do the same. And the lessons you learn by doing it the frugal way will serve you well, no matter how successful you become, or how far your marketing budget expands. Here are a collection of small budget strategies and tactics you can use to beat the big guys:

Small Budget Website Strategies:

1. Don't overbuild your Website. There are ways to create an impressive site using less-complex open source or template approaches.

2. If possible, have an easy-to-remember Website address that relates to what your company does.

3. List your Web address (URL) on all of your corporate materials.

4. Make sure your Website is optimized for organic search terms. This is a low-cost strategy that will make you much easier to find.

5. Try narrowly focused low-cost pay per click search terms.

6. Give some information away for free to increase your Website stickiness.

7. Create many links with other sites to increase your search engine visibility.

8. Refresh your content often. Do not let the site go stale.

Small Budget Social Media Strategies:

1. Start your own blog and comment on other blogs.

2. Always list your Web address on your blog postings and any electronic communication.

3. Leverage LinkedIn and other networking sites.

4. Use Twitter to find relevant posts and prospects.

5. Be controversial (but not too controversial) to attract attention.

6. Choose a niche where you can be an expert.

7. Write articles and get them published in online media.

8. Focus on one or two social media outlets. This concentrated attention will bring more attention than throwing your efforts at five or six outlets.

Small Budget Email Strategies:

1. Work hard to build your email prospect file of opt-in names. This will be a gold mine of low-cost leads and sales.

2. Include a promotional message and your Website address as part of your standard email signature.

3. Provide links to valuable information in your emails, not just product pitches.

4. Make your emails interesting and/or unusual.

5. Run your email copy through a spam detection tool like EmailExam, Acxiom Digital, or Lyris ContentChecker to ensure your emails will not be caught in the spam filters.

6. Have an easy opt-out process. You do not want to keep sending emails to people who want to be removed from your list.

Small Budget Direct Marketing Strategies:

1. Target your lists more effectively by using demographics, psychographics, and some of the other list segmenting tools available. The object is to mail fewer packages and achieve greater response.

2. Test your mailing and telemarketing in small quantities before committing large sums to full-blown programs. Equally important, use the information you learn on every program to make the next work better.

3. Try a postcard mailer. The production costs are low, the first-class postage is less expensive than letter mail, and they pull very well. You can drive prospects to a Web form or toll-free telephone number.

4. Cut back on four-color process direct mail packages. Unless you sell food, magazines, resort properties, or other products requiring excellent graphic reproduction, you can probably pull as much response using two-color printing.

5. Consider mailing with third-class postage instead of first-class. Depending on whether you presort the file, this will save you a great amount of money, and most prospects will not notice the difference. The exception is with time-sensitive offers, since third-class mail can take a week longer to arrive than first-class.

6. If you mail to large numbers on a national basis, or send highly concentrated mailings into local or regional areas, use postal pre-sorting to lower postage costs.

More Cost-Cutting Ideas:

1. If you are a small company (a flea), find a big company (a dog) to partner with. This will make it much easier for you to sell to bigger companies.

2. Read the chapter on public relations carefully and begin carrying out its advice. PR is a low-effort, high-reward vehicle that is often under-utilized by small-budget marketers.

3. Be persistent. Remember the eight times rule: You don't have to spend a lot of money on each communication, but you must repeat your message up to eight times to gain prospect awareness.

4. Write handwritten personal notes to prospects and customers. They are cheap but make a big impact.

5. Ask for referrals. They are much easier to sell, at lower cost.

6. Utilize experts. An expert's advice will cost you something in the short term, but can save you money and aggravation in the long term.

7. List your primary products and services on your stationery and business card, or anything else you give to potential buyers.

8. Since consistency is vital for those with small budgets, make sure every one of your marketing efforts supports and reinforces your unique selling proposition (USP).

9. Sharpen your bargaining skills. Media outlets are hungry for business and many have unsold inventory. Use this to your advantage by negotiating aggressively.

One other important principle to practice is leverage. Try to create content once and use it in multiple marketing scenarios. This is less expensive and time-consuming, and the consistency of message is important.

For more information, please visit Fusion Marketing Partners or Get the Book.

Did Putin's Political Party Play With the Polling Results Produced?

There certainly seems to be a bit of turbulence surrounding Putin's election in Russia and the so-called 50% claimed by his party. There has been a bundle of news coverage over all the protests concerning this, as well as how fast the protests were put down directly following the election with military police number 10,000 coming in with overwhelming force to put down the discontent. There are many claims now of "voting irregularities" a buzz-word of course for fraudulent elections.

Okay so, what's the deal here, Putin says there is nothing to it, and that it is actually the US causing the protests (cite: Wall Street Journal article; 12-9-11 "Putin Blames US for Protests - Under Fire, Premier Takes Jabs at Clinton in Sharp Escalation to Rhetoric, Gets Tougher on Opposition," by Alan Cullison). Maybe, it's just me, but what on Earth does the US have to do with fraudulent elections in Russia - answer me that one? Additionally, I ask what's the real deal here, is it really true; did Putin's Party play with the election polling?

Not long ago, I was discussing this with someone living in Moscow, and I asked "so, tell me first hand, what's happening with political protests over the election? Is there anything really to that? Was there really questionable election ballot counting, aka "cheating" or is the nation just somewhat divided over how to move forward?" You see, the reason I ask is because the news we get here from CNN seems jaded, as is the Russian news station that plays stuff for the US audience with a Russian spin and motif.

Nevertheless, even Gorbachev even stated that the election was stolen from the Russian People, which seems a rather dangerous thing for him to say in public, so I doubt he would have made that claim unless he had some first-hand knowledge to it all? Interestingly enough, those who speak out against the election, bloggers in Russia for instance have found their websites hacked down, but Putin supporters. I suppose this is getting more common these days around the world with staunch political supporters lacking ethical checks.

Yes, elections are something that are serious in today's world, more and more so. Some are predicting an Arab Spring type uprising in Moscow over all this, but I doubt any of the old timers want to see the chaos they lived through before, even if the new generation is willing to put up a fight, perhaps even put their lives on the line as has been done in the Middle East and North Africa recently. In fact, an article in Bloomberg News on December 12 asked that question; "Is the Arab Spring Headed to Moscow?"

So far both the overwhelming government force, and the protestors are chilling out, not wishing to escalate anymore conflict - well, that's the current set of events currently, but these things often have a life of their own, so we shall see? Please consider all this.

Lance Winslow has launched a new provocative series of eBooks on Future Concepts. Lance Winslow is a retired Founder of a Nationwide Franchise Chain, and now runs the Online Think Tank; http://www.worldthinktank.net

Traditional Marketing Tactics Fail to Produce Results in Today's Business Environment

Is your marketing message getting through to your target audience? Is it as effective as it once was or should be? Probably not and here is why.

The National Association of Realtors reports that they have 1.1 million members and there is no mystery that existing home sales are down significantly. There are simply too many agents chasing too few transactions. Add to that the fact that there have been many forces at work in recent years that are changing the way consumers respond to advertising and marketing messages. We are living in an over communicated world that has consumers tuned out and trusting less. What follows is an outline of the problem and the contributing factors.

Business through the ages:

What follows is a look at how our economic base has changed over the years. It is important to know where we came from to understand where we are today and where we are going.

The Agrarian Age

Farming and livestock formed our early economic base. The land gave us what we needed to feed and shelter ourselves. Trade amongst businesses was very prevalent at this time.

The Industrial Age

In the early part of the 20th Century, we witnessed the Industrial Age. We not only worked the land for food but also started to extract natural resources and raw materials to manufacture products. The challenges that companies faced were based on the productivity of workers and the efficiency of factories. Manual labor and hard work were thought to be the answer to higher output and increased profits.

The Information Age

The latter half of the 20th Century ushered in the beginning of the Information Age. The use of High Technology starts to change the game and the basis for our economic output. The Information Age gave us global companies like Microsoft and Intel and the products they produce enable even the smallest of companies to work smarter and not harder. We have gone from using our hands to using our heads. One of the most valuable assets a technology firm has is the knowledge and intellectual capital of its workers.

The Relationship Age

We are now entering a period where we are starting to understand the power of relationships. It is through human relationships that we are seeing new ways to capture and keep customers. If done properly, you create customers for life. The rapid rise in Social Media sites shows peoples true desire to connect with each other. When you take all of this into consideration, it is clear we are living in a Relationship Age

The following key factors have also brought us to this Relationship Age

The Cocooning trend

Faith Popcorn coined the term Cocooning in the 1980's. This trend sees people socializing less and retreating to their homes more. The trend is commercially significant in that it changes the way we reach out to obtain and retain customers. This trend is also a direct assault on brick and mortar businesses. Some examples of cocooning are working from home, internet home delivery of goods, home theaters, gated communities, surveillance cameras and many other services that allow the consumer to retreat and stay home. The Internet has enabled this trend to continue and further points to the need to embrace new tactics for the Relationship Age.

Mistrust in corporations

Over the last decade, consumers have started to develop mistrust in companies. You only need to think back to the Enron, WorldCom and Cendant scandals, to name a few, to see how we got here. For many corporations, regaining the trust of the consumer has been their primary mission. Mistrust in businesses is at an all time high. A recent survey by the public relations firm Edelman shows that only 44% of Americans said they trusted business as a whole. This is down from 58% in the fall of 2007 and the downward trend continues. Consumers are fed up with the status quo and are not going to take it anymore. Now more than ever, advertising messages are being viewed through skeptical eyes.

Mistrust in leaders

Along with a general mistrust in business is mistrust in public figures and leaders. On an almost daily basis, we see another disgraced Politician, CEO, Religious figure or Celebrity grace the front page of the newspaper. Whom we thought to be solid citizens giving sound advice has become anything but. This has also caused business to rethink how they go about advertising and marketing to new and existing customers.

These factors all lead to the consumers need to have a louder voice in what they buy and how business is transacted. The increasing popularity of consumer review sites is aiding them in protecting one another from unscrupulous businesses. As countries around the world struggle with economic challenges, people are yearning for deeper relationships and more say in the process. People worldwide seek more than material wealth and superficial contacts. They want environmental consciousness, business reform and a deeper level of connection with companies, people and the products and services they provide.

The new forms of communication and technologies developed during the Information Age are changing the game. Our past frustrations with corporate performance, government, health care, education and environmental policy are providing the motivation for a new mindset. Enter the Relationship Age.

From Transactional Marketing to Relationship Marketing

The days of "doing the deal" and hit and run marketing are gone. Social Media tools and online technologies are allowing us to deal with customers on a more personal and cost-effective basis. We now have the technology to deal with each customer on a personal level and if done properly, create an outspoken advocate and a customer for life.

To do this you need to move from the old mindset of being product centric to the new reality of being people centric. It is all about the customer. By putting the customer first and serving their needs, we will back into running better businesses via a stronger brand and deeper relationships with our clients.

In the Information Age, employee's knowledge and intellectual capital were the primary currency for companies to keep their competitive edge. In the Relationship Age, it is the number and depth of connections with the customer that is the primary form of capital. It is a shift from Knowledge Capital to Social Capital. We move from serving companies by getting people to buy as much product or services as possible to serving the customer at the highest level and inducing them to buy and remain loyal to your brand over time.

Slow Sales Cycles

Real estate has one of the slowest sales cycles of any product or service. A typical client only needs your services once every 5 to 7 years at best. This makes staying in close touch with the client, adding value and gaining their referrals more important than in any other sales profession.

A Call for Change

When you take all of these factors into consideration, a change in the way you market your service is needed now more than ever. Change is inevitable and the rate at which our environment changes is getting faster and faster each year. How you adapt to that change will determine your level of success moving forward. You need business and marketing systems that speak to today's economy and demography to remain viable. You cannot employ the same old tired methods and tactics and expect to be successful in today's Relationship

Age.

Meeting the Challenge

Marketing has always been a costly endeavor, however, networking and the effective use of your networks and connections is often overlooked. Networking is the most powerful and professional form of selling when done properly. The rapid rise in social networking tools gives you the ability to learn an incredible amount of information about a contact and market to them in a personal and powerful way. Having a sound relationship management system will allow you to remain viable during the long sales cycles and garner a steady stream of referrals. People do business with and refer those they Know, Like and Trust. You must maintain that level of connection with everyone you know to reap the reward of referrals. By adding value to the lives of others, you will gain the success you deserve. If you want to make money, add value to the lives of others. If you want to make a lot of money, add a LOT of value. I have found that by helping others gain what they need all of my needs are met as well. These are RENA's principals of working in the Relationship Age. It starts with a mindset of giving. You need to give to others with the expectation of getting nothing in return.

Most of the marketing methods used by Realtors today have become common and generic. You need to stand out from the crowd if you expect your message to be heard in todays over communicated society.

Becoming a Commodity

Almost all real estate companies and agents are providing the same general services. When you become generic, the only thing you have left to compete on is price. This is one of the major reasons we have seen the decline in fees agents can charge. The public views real estate services as a generic commodity and are refusing to pay what they used to for the service. There are other factors involved in this as well such as the dramatic increase in average sales prices over a relatively short period. This makes the 6% fee much more significant. The internet has dealt a heavy blow to many other financial services and businesses such as insurance, stock brokerage and travel. It is actually amazing that the real estate industry has held up so well for so long. The fact is, our day is coming. If you want to remain viable, you need to provide unique and valuable services.

Niche and Specialization

One of the best ways to cut down on the amount of competition is to have a niche or area of specialization. If you look at the most successful people in the world, they share a few common traits. They all have great networks; they have top-notch coaches and have a specific niche they fill. Establishing yourself as an expert in a specific area gives you the ability to transmit a unique message and stand out from the crowd. You will also increase the amount of referrals you get from within your industry. Your niche does not necessarily have to be real estate specific, like first time buyers etc, you can specialize in a particular industry or represent a particular demographic.

Advanced Database Marketing

Your database holds the key to your success in building your business and relationships. A good database will allow you to do so much more than have contact information for mailings. By acquiring high value data, that is information on your contacts beyond name and address, you can begin to provide a high level of personalized services. Along with custom tailored marketing, you can also employ my cross endorsement and circle of endorsement strategies. Your database is the lifeblood of your business. Maintaining a database rich in information will put you on the path to creating a saleable business.

Identify Key Professionals

You can market your services to two different groups of people. You can spend a lot of time and money trying to find individuals that need to buy or sell real estate or you can work with other professionals that deal with MANY people that buy and sell on a regular basis. By understanding whom these professionals are and how to connect and add value to their lives, you will ensure you will have a steady stream of referral business in any market. You also need to understand the various roles people in your networks play such as Mavens, Subject Matter Experts and Thought and Opinion Leaders. By identifying these key people, you will find it much easier to broadcast your message and brand.

Become a Connector

As I stated earlier, by adding value to the lives of others, your business will grow to new heights. One way to do this is to connect the people in your database with others that will add value to each other. The average database contains 250 contacts. Within those contacts, there are people that should know each other and can add great value to each other's businesses. It is up to you to identify these connections and bring them together.

Branded Unique Services

Another way to stand out from the crowd is to have unique services you offer that are branded to and associated with your name. This is a process of looking at all of the tasks you do on a regular basis and putting your own unique spin on them. A simple example of this would be holding a new home orientation for buyers. After the close of escrow, have the property inspector join you at the home with the buyers for an orientation of the homes systems. You can use the internet to print out instructions for just about all systems and appliances the property may have. This is an excellent way to present the new home to the buyers and leave a lasting impression of service. There are so many steps throughout a transaction you can apply this thinking.

After Sale Services

Another important tool for operating in the Relationship Age is having strong after sale service programs. The actions you take add value to your client's lives and keep you top of mind for referrals. Things such as sending a repair person in for a few hours of free work for a buyer or rekeying the locks make strong statements about your service and make you stand out. I have a long list of service programs I am happy to share with you, just ask.

Referral and Reward Programs

In order to build a strong referral business you must have programs in place that reward that behavior. Teaching people how to refer you, giving them information they can pass on and rewarding them for their efforts are essential for you growth. I recommend having a "referral kit" that your clients can have readily available to aid in recommending you. The kit should contain you resume or bio, specific verbiage for them to use, references and some gift cards.

Conclusion

The economy and business climate has changed dramatically over the last few years yet most people continue to employ the same tactics and strategies that were created 20 or more years ago. The real estate industry is in dire need of fresh thinking for agents to remain viable in the coming years. Many well-funded enterprises are attempting to replace Realtors and reinvent the industry. This is a small sample of many unique strategies that I have created in my 20 plus years in the real estate business.

I urge you to contact me to learn more about RENA and the services I provide.

About Larry Klapow
Larry Klapow has been a luminary in Bay Area real estate for over 19 years. He has been an influential leader holding every position from top producing agent to President of the largest real estate firm in Northern California throughout his career. Using fresh thinking and creative ideas, he has mentored both individuals and entire offices to amazing success. Currently, Larry is the founder and CRO of RENA Professional Networks Inc. RENA is an innovative company that manages powerful networking teams, produces highly impactful seminars and coaches and mentors business leaders to their highest levels of achievement. Larry is also the author of the book "Effective Networking in the Relationship Age" and a member of the National Speakers Association.

Larry Klapow was the President of Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage's San Francisco Bay Area Region - incorporating 16 offices and a talented team of more than 1,000 real estate professionals. Prior to being named President in 2007, Larry was the Senior Vice President and Regional Manager of Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage's San Francisco-Peninsula region, a position that he held from 2001-2007. During his tenure, the San Francisco-Peninsula region's offices earned several outstanding accolades. Most notable was the San Francisco Van Ness office's achievement of number two producing office nationwide. This impressive accolade, combined with countless others, positioned the San Francisco-Peninsula region as one of Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage's most notable and productive regions in the country.

Prior to serving as Senior Vice President and Regional Manager, Larry was Manager of the company's award-winning Morgan Hill/Gilroy offices. Among Larry's impressive list of managerial accolades: member of the President's Council of Managers (1999-2006) and during his tenure, the Morgan Hill/Gilroy office earned the coveted Premier Office - honoring offices with consistent sales achievement for four consecutive years.