Here they are:

• 1. Patience – being patient while saving and accumulating money
• 2. Satisfaction – being satisfied with what you have so you don’t spend money on things you see in commercials that you think will make you feel/look better
• 3. Organization – being organized for higher productivity
• 4. Discipline – to continue saving for more long-term goals
• 5. Reflectiveness – being able to reflect on the results of your financial decisions, both good and bad.
• 6. Creativity – during unexpected events, when the economy and our earnings don’t match. Learning to juggle money, and to make something last longer.
• 7. Curiosity – having curiosity helps you learn, study and improve yourself.
• 8. Risk-Taking – to build wealth one needs to be willing to take risks.
• 9. Goal-Oriented
• 10. Hard- and Smart-Working

Ok, for the most part I agree with the concept that your attitude towards money will determine your success.

However, there are few things that I absolutely disagree with.

First, why do we need to address being wealthy, as filthy?

I know, it’s just a saying, but when you say filthy, what images and feelings come to mind? And keeping that in mind, when you say filthy-rich, what associations does your mind make? That too, will develop a certain attitude towards wealthy people and becoming wealthy.

As a financial planner, I too teach people to save and accumulate money, BUT I don’t think you should be patient at all.
If you want to accumulate money fast, who has the right to tell you that it takes a long time, except yourself?

You’re the only one that can determine how fast or slow you will accomplish that. If you tell your mind that it’ll take 25 years of saving and investing to accumulate $1 Million, then that’s exactly what your mind is going to focus on.

But if you decide to get there much faster, and provide your subconscious mind with all the emotional reasons for your objective, and start feeling as if you’re already in possession of the money, staying open to the possibilities, and get out of your own way without putting out any fear, doubt, or worry about how it’s going to happen, then, your subconscious mind will focus on that, and will attract to you the necessary people, situations, and create favorable circumstances for that to happen.

Also, being satisfied with what you have so you don’t go out and buy more things. I agree you shouldn’t go out and just spend money on everything immediately, but if a new car or a certain luxury is what you’re after, and what you want, then focus on that. Start the attraction process of the things you want, instead of limiting yourself by creating a sense of satisfaction for what you have. But you should be grateful for what you have, that’s critical. Nothing wrong with wanting more, as long as you accept what you have and be grateful for it.

And lastly, creativity. Creativity is critical, but to create more, not figure out how to live on less. You can certainly use creativity to juggle money and cut back, creatively, but why waste your imagination on that?

Everything around us has been created using imagination. The chair you’re sitting in, the car you drive, the clothes you wear, the building you’re in, your computer, the books you read . . . everything, was once a thought, an idea, in someone’s mind, and using creativity and imagination it became a huge enterprise for someone, and is now being used by millions of people around the world.

You see my point?

Your attitude towards money will absolutely dictate your level of success and the amount of wealth you’ll accumulate.

Focus on more, and you will have more. Plant those seeds in your subconscious mind and watch the magic that happens. And don’t take everything you read as a fact. It may be someone’s opinion, but that opinion shouldn’t put any limitations on your ability to create the things you truly want in your life, and the speed at which you can do that.

One great way to get your mind to focus on what you want is to constantly plant images and thoughts of the things you want, into your subconscious mind. You do that to create feelings, send out vibrations that attract to you the things you want.

Today we’re all bombarded with advertisements all day long.  On TV, on the radio, on the internet, our emails, tele-marketing calls, our mail, etc…

So for someone to actually stop and listen to your message, you literally have to stop them, long enough to hear you.

One of the most effective ways to do that, is with direct response marketing, which can be done by mail, on the internet, or even with ads in newspapers in magazines.

In this post, I’d like to share the most important part of your ad, regardless of the media that you choose, and that’s your headline.

The headline (or the title) needs to stop your prospects dead in their tracks, and pull them in to read the rest of the ad.  Without a good headline you have no chance of having a successful ad.

You only have 5 – 10 seconds to show your prospect an extremely compelling reason why they should continue reading your piece.  People are busier than ever before, and time is precious.  If your headline doesn’t provide a compelling reason, the ad will end up in the junk mail pile, or on the internet, one click and they’ll never see your page again.

Even in the yellow pages, you should be using a headline.  How many other businesses just like your are listed in the yellow pages?  And how many of them look the same to your prospect?  All of them, because they all say the same thing:  name of the company, contact info, etc…

What if you had a specific benefit listed as the title in the yellow pages, in big bold letters, and then everything else (name, contact info, etc…) under that.  Would that increase the chance of someone actually stopping long enough to read your listing?  You bet.

Here’s a little exercise, write down all the features and the benefits of your product/service.

Identify the biggest benefit your customer/client would get from your product or service.

It must answer the question – “What’s In It For Me?”  Which is the number one question on everyone’s mind.

Lastly, it must speak directly to your prospect.  It must get in their head and pick up on the conversation they’re already having.  This is called perfect message to market match.

Unless your headline effectively sells your product, and compels your target audience to jump in and read the rest of the ad, you’re wasting money and time on creating the ad.

Keep these points in mind as you’re putting together your campaigns, and remember, that 5 times as many people read the headlines, as the body of an ad.

They were pretty busy and people were waiting a few minutes to get their lattes.  All I wanted was a small cup of coffee, and right before it was my turn to order, the guy behind the counter picked up a cup and asked “Who had the small coffee?”  No one answered, he asked again and got no response.  He then asked me what I was going to order, and I told him that that’s exactly what I wanted, a small coffee.  He smiled and didn’t even charge me for the coffee.

Coincidence?

Maybe, but it happens a lot when you look at the world as abundant and expect abundance to come your way.

A cup of coffee may not seem as a symbol of abundance, but the fact that I didn’t wait for it, and didn’t pay for it, is.

When you start noticing and acknowledging these things, more of these things happen, in your family life, your health, relationship, and business.  It’s all connected.

Seems like it makes sense, until you stop and think what you’re really doing.  You’re telling yourself that what you’re making is it, and that you should settle for less by cutting your expenses.

Now, I’m not saying you should waste money without giving it any thought.  Having a plan and sticking with it is critical to accomplishing your financial goals.

However, if you think about cutting expenses, then this is your focus, and that’s the energy that you’re putting out.

Why not do the opposite.  Instead of saying to yourself, “I’m going to spend less than I make”, say “I’m going to make more than I spend”

Say it to yourself, and see how this feels.  Don’t worry about how you’re going to do that.  Just by saying this, and feeling good about it,  you’re putting the energy behind the idea of making more money.

If you ever told yourself that you’re going to cut expenses and spend less than you make, all that does is limit your income and stop the flow of money and more business into your life.

But when you think of making more than you spend, then that’s where the energy goes, and now you’re opening up the channels to attract more business and money into your life.

This is a very simple thing, but very important.

Here’s an exercise you can do to start the process of attracting more money into your life.

Make a list of the things that you want.  Not your goals, but the things you want to have, such as:

• the kind of car you want to drive
• the house you want to live in
• the school you want to send your kids to
• the vacations you want to take with your family
• the causes you want to support
• etc…

Then, list what it will cost on a monthly basis, the mortgage, the car payment, setting money aside for retirement, list everything.  Then add 30%, because there’s always more than you expect.

The figure you come up with is what you need to make per month to have the things you want.

Just doing this exercise will set the energy in motion to attract that income to you.

Now isn’t it more fun to think about what you should make, instead of cutting back on the things you want?

We live in an abundant Universe.  But remember that you get whatever you choose to focus on.

The choice yours.

1. Join a business networking organization, like BNI or LBN, you can find a local chapter by googling it. (You can also start your own chapter of these organizations)

2. Join your local Chamber of Commerce.

3. Joint Venture with other business owners. If your business is local, then find a local business that’s not in direct competition with you, but serves the same market.

Here’s an example. We have a local restaurant that my wife and I go to all the time. They have a special, when you order 2 entrees and drinks, they include 2 movie tickets to a nearby movie theater, no restrictions on the tickets. Brilliant!

If you’re doing business online, search for other websites, using the same concept, where they’re working with the same market, but not in direct competition with you, and approach them about sending a promotion to their email list with your offer, and you split the profits. In return you can do the same.

By the way, you can use the same approach off line, by having your joint venture partner mail your offer to their list.

4. Put flyers in places like coffee shops, offices, stores.

At one point, I use to drop off small books on the topic of money at doctor’s offices, beauty salons, oil change places waiting rooms. Inside the book I would include my contact information.

The key in doing these things, is to have a direct response offer in the flyer. For example, offer something in return for them contacting you.

5. Create a direct response website with an opt-in form. Regardless of what your business is, you can create a website with an opt-in form for your prospects to sign up, and in return offer them a report, an ebook, and audio, something of value that’s obviously related to your business.

Put this website on your business cards, flyers, and any materials you distribute.

6. Use fish bowls to get names. Contact local restaurants to see if you can sponsor a fish bowl for people to drop their business cards, and you would do a drawing once a week or once a month for free lunch. This would be extra business for the restaurant and in return you get a chance to contact the winner, or any other business card from the fish bowl. Which makes it a win-win situation. If you’re in any kind of a direct sales business, where you or your staff contacts people to set up appointments, this works great.

7. Upsell your customers to multiply your profits. Often overlooked area by most businesses. When you do get a customer, use that opportunity to offer them a premium or a deluxe version of your product, or an upsell to a product that would compliment that purchase. Wendy’s does it all the time, “Would you like the biggie fries and drink with this?”

8. Set up a booth at fairs or trade shows. There are many ethnic and business associations, that conduct fairs and festivals, and you can for a very small fee, or sometimes even for free, set up a booth, and get exposure to hundreds if not thousands of people. Again, get creative about marketing at these events. Give out something interesting to entice people to give you their contact info, and have some kind of a direct response offer that they need to act on, just like in point #4.

9. Offer a gift for referrals. Entice your customers to give you referrals. I used to leave a referral sheet when I sat down with people in my financial services business. There were 15 blanks there for names. I would offer them a $50 gift card to a restaurant of their choice if they filled out all 15, with people that they knew, not names out of a phone book. It’s amazing how many people for $50 would make sure to get the entire sheet filled out.

These are 9 things that I’ve used over the years that together have worked great for me, and generated lots of business. Especially #9. You gotta get creative and think of different ways that you can market your business and attract more customers. They’re out there, and the ones that act on their ideas, will be the ones that make the lions share of the profits.

Allowing is not trying harder and getting frustrated.  Doing that actually blocks the energy flow, and puts up resistance.  So instead of attracting it, you’re actually repelling.

Whenever I’m faced with an issue, and I need to get answers on how to do that or the other, I immediately remind myself that my subconscious mind knows how to get the answer.  There’s a perfect solution to my issue, and I need to set the intention to get it, and then simply allow it to come my way.

What I like to do is pretend as if my subconscious mind, just like a computer, is searching for what I’m looking for, as if scrolling down the results of a search engine.  I also get in the feeling of already having the answer, and feel what it would be like when I get it.

I always keep a pad of paper with a pen next to me at all times.  Ideas will be flowing from your subconscious mind at various times, when you’re driving, watching tv, even in the shower.

When I catch myself thinking to hard about trying to find the solution, or say to myself, “Why can’t I find the answer to this…”, I immediately stop that thinking, and remind myself, that the answer, the perfect answer is out there, and that it’s on its way to me right now.

Whenever ideas or solutions come to me, I right them down and make a list of all the possible ways to ….

For example, let’s say you’re trying to figure out different ways to market your business.  As soon as you get one idea of how to do that, like some from my previous post, write it down and start writing down as many as come your way.  Whatever you give attention to will grow, so by focusing on that and making a list, you’ll get more and more ways to market your business.

Or maybe you’re working on a way to cut down on your refunds, there are plenty of things you can do, just takes a little brainstorming.

Recently I was looking for specific information about an internet marketing strategy, and just by writing it down and putting a little thought behind it, I started searching and came up with half a dozen ideas about that.  Here’s what’s interesting though.  I subscribe to different ezines and tips about business, and the same day I got an email with a couple links to some free resources on the specific topic that I was looking for.

Once again, there’s proof that your subconscious mind when given instructions will go to work to find exactly what you’re looking for.  The key is to know what you want, be clear about it, and don’t put up resistance in the form of negative feelings, such as doubt, fear, frustration, worry, instead be excited about the fact that you know, that whatever you’re seeking is also seeking you.

This one has to do with my financial services business.  Without going into long details about it, I had a client in the past, and when I switched firms I was representing in the investment field, I didn’t want to contact him because of the potential conflict with the non-compete clause.  It’s 2 years, and for a variety of reasons, this particular client was involved with me and another representative who stayed with the other firm and so I wanted to wait the 2 years before approaching him, because I know that the other financial adviser could create unnecessary challenges for me.

This month marks my 2 year anniversary since switching, so I had this guy on my list to call in the next couple of weeks.  He was one of my biggest clients in the past, and I was the one that he trusted with his investments.

Last week I was telling my wife that I will be approaching him, now that my 2 years are up, and that I know he will be more than thrilled, because I know he liked the way I set up his accounts before, and today I have much more options than I had before, which is the reason I switched firms.  Knowing his situation and the way the stock market is right now, these options would be much better for him and he at least needs to know about them.

I haven’t spoken to this guy in over 2 years.  Today I get a phone call on my cell phone from him.  What a coincidence (or not).  He wants to talk to me about his accounts, so I inform him about this whole ordeal with the 2 years, and why I was hesitant to call him, anyway he says, “Vitaly, let’s meet this week and I want to transfer the whole thing to you.  If there’s something that you think is better, and you’ve done very well with my accounts before, let’s do it.”

He’s coming in to see me tomorrow.  This phone call could be worth thousands of dollars in compensation to me.

Now you may or may not believe in coincidences, I don’t.  I believe that there are no accidents or coincidences in life.  Your intentions when fueled by emotions, without any doubt, worry, or fear attract to you the most favorable circumstances.

This kind of thing happens a lot to me, and I take the time to notice and appreciate it, and acknowledge the fact that  I am attracting the things that I want.

It doesn’t matter whether you attract a $25 sale, a cup of coffee, or a client that’s worth thousands.  It works the same, and sometimes you attract little things, and sometimes big things.

It’s all through the Law of Attraction.

In my opinion goal setting is a very powerful thing.  But you have to be careful though.  When setting goals, and putting your target dates, if you don’t hit your goal by the deadline, that you don’t go beating yourself up over it.

Goals are powerful because they set the course and they set the energy in motion.  But remember that we attract we feel, so if thinking of a goal and having that deadline puts any kind of pressure, where you feel uncomfortable and it makes you think that you won’t hit it, then instead of motivating you, it does the opposite, it depresses you to think about your goal.

Writing down your goals, and thinking of them should be fun and exciting, and the minute it doesn’t feel that way anymore, it’s time to adjust or change the goal.

One way to stay motivated that works for me, is to understand and remind myself, that the things I’ve accomplished (even if I didn’t hit my goal), are the necessary stepping stones to achieve the big goal.  If I didn’t hit it yet, then the timing isn’t right and there are things that I need to achieve first, before moving on to bigger accomplishments.

This may not be the answer you’re seeking, but everything will come at the time when it’s supposed to.

We don’t know how it’s going to happen, the key is to know that it is happening, and the Universe is arranging everything in the best possible way for your desire to manifest.

You may get a client, that’s not necessarily the kind of a client you wanted, but that person could be the one, that will lead you to the exact person you’re looking for.

Here’s one example that will always stand out in my mind.

About 9 years ago, I had a couple that came to see me about their financial services.  They did some business with me, but not what I would consider a great client.  One thing that I’ve always done is asked for referrals, and even though they didn’t give me any at the time of our meeting, but because I reminded them during our first and second meetings, and even during a follow up, they came through, and called me up one evening, giving me 3 names and numbers of people that they recommended.

The first 2 were complete flakes.  Even though I did get together with them, it was a complete waste of time and both weren’t very receptive.

I was hesitating to call the 3rd name on the list, because of the experience with those 2, but I decided that you just never know what could happen.

Long story short, I called and met with the 3rd person on the list, and not only did they become great clients, over the next 12 months, both he and his wife decided to come work with me in my agency selling financial services, and 9 years later they’re still with me.  The amount of business that they brought in over those years was very substantial, and all that from one person on a list.  And to think that I almost didn’t call them.

We just never know how it’s going to happen.  But as long as you focus on what we want, and don’t let the things that may seem like failures, to get in the way of your focus, and treat them as necessary steps towards the accomplishment of the big goal, than you will attract the things you want.

McDonalds has figured this out years ago, by adding a variety of items to their menu.  In addition to burgers and fries, which is what they started with, they now have, different types of burgers and cheeseburgers, chicken burgers, chicken nuggets, salads, deserts, etc…

If you’ve spend time and money to get a customer, why not maximize your return on investment with back end sales, as well as immediate up-sells and cross-sells.

Here are a few examples.  In my financial services career, I was fortunate to learn from the beginning, to cross sell different services.  If my client purchases insurance, why not talk to them about investments, mortgages, other types of insurance.  I’m already there, so why not take advantage of that opportunity?

But do you know that most people in this industry, usually stick to one or two products and don’t bother talking to their client about everything else.

For a number of years, I couldn’t sell health insurance because of my contract with the company I was representing.  So during that time I bought health insurance from a local professional who had a very large client base.  I asked him on several occasions if he offered his clients life insurance, long-term care, or talked to them about investments, and his response was always, “I should do that”.  You think?

I mean, these people are buying their life insurance from someone else, and all you had to do is simply ask them, while you’re doing health insurance.

The same goes for mortgage people, and life insurance agents, who also never bother to ask their clients if they need health insurance.

This is why I call this, hidden profits.  Every business has an opportunity to sell additional products to their clients, and some do, but in a very primitive way.  Most businesses don’t have a system to do more, yet this strategy could significantly multiply their profits.

In my area, we have Staples and Office Max, and only in the last few years, they started to really offer a more competitive copying services than Kinko’s.  All of a sudden, I started seeing more and more people in their copy center, and I know that it had to have an impact on their profits.

Gas stations is another example.  The most profitable gas stations, are the one that sell more chips and doughnuts, because there’s way more profit in that, than in fuel alone.
Think about your business, no matter how big or small, and ask yourself, what else could I offer my customer?  Where are the hidden profits in my business?

Look at amazon.com, what started as online bookstore, today is a super store with lots of different stores linked to them, and they get a piece of the action, not to mention the fact that they sell other items besides books.

There are 2 very important marketing principles here.

One is the opportunity to offer additional products and services to your customer while they’re in your store, on your website, or you’re in their house.  This is a major psychological factor, that when a person is excited about something, and their spending money, they’re the most receptive to additional products and services at that moment.  So immediate up-sells and cross-sells are very critical, and could double, triple, or even quadruple your profits with the same customer.

The second principle, is in the follow up and back-end sales.  This is where almost everyone drops the ball.  How many restaurants miss the opportunity to follow up with their customers?  The same goes for every company that we do business with.

I was getting hair cut recently, and the owner had 2 advertising people there selling her on their package.  I didn’t hear all the details, just bits and pieces, like sending out mailers with coupons and targeting local neighborhoods and stuff like that.

And I began to think, that in over 2 years that I’ve been there, I’ve never once received anything from them.  What if they were to constantly send out coupons to their customers, maybe a booklet about haircut and for women, hair coloring tips, and stuff like that.  Maybe have a customer appreciation program, with loyalty rewards, like your 10th haircut is free.  Provide hair products at a discount to existing customers.  Communication is the key.  Especially in that business, you know that every 3 or 4 weeks or so the person will be needing another haircut, so communicate with them accordingly.

There are a lot of things, that one can do to generate more business out of their existing customers.

Just takes some creativity.  So no matter what business you’re in, keep looking for more ways to service your customers and be creative in your approach.