Joint Ventures - What Goes Around, Comes Around

This story illustrates the reciprocity in Joint Ventures:

His name was Fleming, and he was a poor Scottish farmer. One day, while trying to eke out a living for his family, he heard a cry for help coming from a nearby bog. He dropped his tools and ran to the bog. There, mired to his waist in black muck, was a terrified boy, screaming and struggling to free himself. Farmer Fleming saved the lad from what could have been a slow and terrifying death.

The next day, a fancy carriage pulled up to the Scotsman's sparse surroundings. An elegantly dressed nobleman stepped out and introduced himself as the father of the boy Farmer Fleming had saved. "I want to repay you," said the nobleman. "You saved my son's life." "No, I can't accept payment for what I did," the Scottish farmer replied, waving off the offer. At that moment, the farmer's own son came to the door of the family hovel. "Is that your son?" the nobleman asked. "Yes," the farmer replied proudly. "I'll make you a deal. Let me take him and give him a good education. If the lad is anything like his father, he'll grow to a man you can be proud of."

And that he did. In time, Farmer Fleming's son graduated from St. Mary's Hospital Medical School in London, and went on to become known throughout the world as the noted Sir Alexander Fleming, the discoverer of Penicillin.Years afterward, the nobleman's son was stricken with pneumonia. What saved him? Penicillin.

The name of the nobleman? Lord Randolph Churchill.His son's name? Sir Winston Churchill.

People don't forget who helped them, and they don't forget who hurt them. By creating value for others, you create value for yourself. Joint Ventures is the mechanism to apply this reciprocity in the business world.

Robin J. Elliott www.DollarMakers.com

Your Life and Business is an Echo

When you’re in the mountains and you shout, “I am a Winner!” the echo comes back, “I am a Winner!” and when you shout, “I am a Loser!” the echo comes back, “I am a Loser!” Whatever you shout comes back. I often meet people whom I call “Excusiologists”. They don’t realize that their life and business is their own creation. They make excuses and blame others for their challenges and shortcomings. When faced with difficulties, instead of getting better, they get bitter. The fact is, whatever your present circumstances, YOU created them. They are merely an echo of your choices in life.

That’s good news, because just as you created your circumstances, you can change them. YOU control the echo. You control the way in which you interpret the challenges facing you. You either say, “I can’t handle this”, in which case life will agree with you and you will fail again, or you can say, “No problem – I can easily handle this” and life will behave exactly as ordered.

Your attitude determines your altitude. Change your thinking and your attitude, take responsibility and start winning. Remember that the word, “RESPONSIBILITY” means your ability to respond to your life in any way you choose. It’s your choice. Even when things happen that you didn’t cause, you can still choose how you will respond.

By aligning yourself with successful, motivated people, it is much easier to change your behavior and make better choices, resulting in good echoes. Take charge of your life. Get out of the passenger seat and the retrace and take the wheel. Determine that you will create the life you want, starting today. It’s never too late!

Don't Quit.
Don't quit when the tide is lowest,

For it's just about to turn;

Don't Quit over doubts and questions,

For there's something you may learn.

Don't quit when the night is darkest,For it's just a while 'til dawn;

Don't quit when you've run the farthest,

For the race is almost won.

Don't quit when the hill is steepest,

For your goal is almost nigh;

Don't quit, for you're not a failure

Until you fail to try.

Robin J. Elliott www.DollarMakers.com

A Powerful Question = Big JV Bucks

When I meet potential Joint Venture partners who have databases, the first thing I want to establish is the value of that database. What is the relationship between the person who owns or controls that database, and the people in the database? For example, does the database consist of people who merely submitted their e-mail addresses in order to access a certain web page or download a complimentary report? Or, do the people on that list actually know the owner? Do they know him or her personally? Do they like trust and respect him? Do they pay for their Membership on that list? How long have they known him / been members? I have worked with people who have only a hundred people on their list, yet that list proved more valuable than someone who boasted thousands of people on their list, but the latter had no relationship or credibility with the people on their list. Also, is their database growing or shrinking? You need to know the value before spending resources on accessing that list.

Now here is the Big Question that can literally change your life in Joint Ventures: “What will it take for you to enthusiastically, passionately, and consistently market me and my service / product to your database, with conviction and commitment?” This is a very important question, because we often assume that we know what they want. We need to know exactly what the list owner wants for himself and/or for his members. We need to know how badly, on a scale of one to ten, he wants what he says he wants. If he’s falling around a seven in terms of motivation, you might want to waddle away. Deal with serious, passionate, focused people and you will make more money. Moreover, make sure they understand your product or service, and, most importantly that they believe in it sufficiently to endorse it with the necessary faith and fervor.

Now, how does that question lead to big bucks? When you push the list owner’s “Hot Button”, when you can deliver what he really, really wants in return for exposure to his database, when you have his undivided attention and loyalty, he will promote and push your product or service with such credibility, conviction, and consistency, that you will automatically get a great response. The secret is in the belief, which that list owner has in you, and of course, the CONSISTENCY with which he promotes you. You’re not looking for a one hit wonder. You want him to use repeat exposure and spaced repetition to market you on an ongoing basis in order to get the best results.

What do you think this list owner might want, or better still, CRAVE, in return for his efforts to sell you to his database? It could be a multitude of things – access, leverage, reciprocity, commissions, relationship, ego, a trip… don’t GUESS – let him tell you! Pushing someone’s Hot Button is often easier and cheaper than you might think.

So, go ahead. Find someone with a database. Establish the value of that database. Then ask the question. Then decide whether or not you can deliver what that list owner wants. If you can and if you want to, go forward and earn the big bucks in a satisfying, mutually beneficial Joint Venture. In addition, always have a number of JV’s running simultaneously, so that you can leverage your time and spread your risk through concurrent marketing JV’s.

Robin J. Elliott www.DollarMakers.com