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It’s Your Chance to Meet Men with Pens – Up Close and Personal

James — Tue, 15 Feb 2011 11:55:25 +0000

If you think you’re prepared for SXSW.com, you’re wrong.

You may have bought your ticket. You may have booked your hotel. You may even have packed your bag and triple-checked that you’ve brought your toothpaste and alarm clock.

But you weren’t prepared for an event the likes of which SXSW – and the world –has never seen.

It’s an event that you can look at one of two ways:

The public unveiling of a deeply ingrained persona and catharsis of epic proportions you won’t want to miss
The SXSW event that everyone will be talking about for a long, long time – and where anything might happen.

This March at SXSW.com in Austin, James Chartrand is unmasking… for the first time ever.

Yes, it’s happening. After 12 years on the ground, James is taking flight and landing in balmy Austin for a full week of fun – and not JUST James. The whole Men with Pens crew is attending SXSW to meet peers, colleagues and friends like you.

Up close and personal. One on one.

We hang out with you every day, of course – you already know us. James, Dave, Jeff, Taylor… and our latest addition, the lovely Marla, ScheduleGirl extraordinaire. And Jeff Sarris and Taylor Lindstrom show their sexy faces around the web all the time.

But this is the first time James will appear in public. For years, she’s operated undercover in full secrecy. And right now, only a select few have any idea what she looks like. Which means if you want to recognize James when she walks down the street…

You’re going to want to be there for the big reveal.

What does James look like? Is she horribly scarred? Does she have a mullet? Is she tattooed from head to toe? Does she have blue hair? There’s only one way to find out: you’re going to have to show up.

Men with Pens is hosting an epic party in an ultra-secret location on March 11 in Austin, Texas, with special guest appearances from some of our favorite people, like Peter Shallard, Pam Slim, John T. Unger, Adam King, Brian Gardner and more. Oh so much more.

You’re going to love what’s going down at this event, and you won’t want to miss any ultra-secret details that let you be in on the action.

What kind of action?

Gasp in delight at John T Unger’s welding torch flame-swallowing display.
Schmooze Peter Shallard, who’s always ready to accept drinks from single women.
Be the first to spot Brian Clark in undercover drag and win a special prize.

But we don’t want to spoil all the surprises. You’ll just have to show up and find out for yourself.

This event will also be the first time the whole MwP crew has ever come together in the same room. You’ll be able to introduce yourself, talk to us and get to know the real people behind the scenes. You don’t want to miss out on the awesomeness that’s going to be happening at the event – or any of the other secret surprises we have planned.

Remember: SXSW happens every year. But the chance to be the first to snap a photo of James’ dreadlocks and body piercings?

Once in a lifetime. Don’t miss it.

Jazzed to learn more? We’ve set up a special MwP Meetup RSVP list for this event only.

Sign up now to confirm your attendance at the event on March 11 in Austin. You’ll be able to get all the secret details of this special event including location, password (hint: think Bond) and event updates as they arise.

Don’t miss out on this special opportunity – your friends will be talking about it for ages.

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Post by James Chartrand

James Chartrand is an entrepreneur, a pro copywriter and the founder and CEO of Men with Pens and Damn Fine Words, the game-changing writing course for business owners. She loves the color blue, her kids, and ice skating.

Another rockin' post from Men with Pens!
It’s Your Chance to Meet Men with Pens – Up Close and Personal first appeared on Men with Pens
Copyright 2006 - 2011, All Rights Reserved.

The Only72 Event: Why I Care, And Why You Should Too

James — Wed, 01 Dec 2010 12:57:44 +0000

I’m going to do something I very rarely do: I’m going to tell you about an opportunity for you to get ahead.

You have to understand this is risky for me. Some people are going to be upset. Some will unsubscribe from this blog. Some won’t read. Some will snort in disgust.

I feel sorry for them. Because their scepticism will hold them back for life.

Other people – the smart ones – will see this for what it is: A person you know and trust, a person with integrity, telling you about a beneficial opportunity that can help you get ahead in business and in life. And those smart people will say, “Thanks for letting me know, James.”

So for those people, I’m going to take the risk.

Now, here’s something you might not know: I get a lot of emails from people who ask me how to get ahead. How to get work. How to start a business. How to make money. How to pull themselves out of a bad rut or a poor economy or a tough situation.

And I do my best to help.

Maybe I give them a little bit of advice.
Maybe I suggest a new idea to try.
Maybe I just offer words of encouragement.

Today I can offer more.

Only72.com has an amazing opportunity going on, and it’s one I’m proud to be part of and believe to be hugely beneficial to you. They’ve packaged up 23 business courses, guides and ebooks created by people like Chris Guilleabeau, Leo Babauta, Johnny Truant and myself, and they’re offering this massive bundle to you for only $97.

23 resources about business. For less than $100.

Want to learn which ones? Click here.

Now you might want to know why you should care about this offer, and I’ll tell you why:

You might be someone who wants to know how to have a business online. How to get started. How to make money. How to find clients. How to be a freelancer. And now you can find out from a bunch of experts who know exactly how to do all that.

You can plan your business. Get ideas. Be inspired. Get smart. Prepare.

And then you can do it. With all these guides from business experts at your back, there’s nothing left to hold you back. No more reason that you shouldn’t have that business. No excuse that you didn’t have the info you needed.

And if you want my personal recommendation of the top books in the Only72 bundle to read? Here they are:

Unconventional Guide to Working for Yourself by Chris Guilleabeau (retails for $79)
Upsell 101 by Naomi Dunford and Dave Navarro (retails for $77)
Zero to Business by Johnny B. Truant (retails for $297)
Beyond Bricks and Mortar by James Chartrand (retails for $25.99)
Minimalist Business by Everett Bogue (retails for $47)
The Essential Motivation Handbook by Leo Babauta and Eric Hamm (retails for $15)

That’s over $500 of courses and books… for only $97

And that’s only six of them. There are 17 more resources in your bundle. If you were to buy all of them separately, it would cost you $1,052.

But you’ll pay only $97. It’s a price you can afford and it’s an opportunity that gets you ahead. And if that sounds good to you, please do yourself a favour: Head over to Only72 and grab your bundle today.

$5 from every sale made in 72 hours is going to Chris Guillebeau’s Charity:Water Ethiopia project.

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Post by James Chartrand

Another rockin' post from Men with Pens!
The Only72 Event: Why I Care, And Why You Should Too first appeared on Men with Pens
Copyright 2006 - 2011, All Rights Reserved.

You Won’t Want to Miss This Lifestyle Offer

James — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 01:00:27 +0000

A few months ago, we asked you guys how you’d like to earn a living writing fiction and fantasy-related work instead of business-related copy.

The response was pretty overwhelming. Most of our readership isn’t just into writing for the scads of money to be made while working in your pajamas and holding a beer in one hand (because that’s how freelancing works, right?).

Many of you are fascinated by the idea of writing just because you love it. Many of you are creative writers, or role players, or gamers. Many of you have a passion for using writing to create worlds and novels.

So when Gamer Lifestyle told us they were reopening their membership course again and that they’ve added new features, a select few spots, and some exclusive offers for Men with Pens readers, we thought we should let you know about it, because we want to you the chance to pursue that writing lifestyle.

First, a Recap

When we first told you about Gamer Lifestyle, we explained that this program is all about helping you make money writing on something you already enjoy doing – namely, roleplaying, creative fiction and gaming. The two creators of this course, Johnn and Yax, have both earned some pretty serious money creating products around that passion.

Between them, they’ve founded a role-playing gaming company, written for gaming publications like Wizards of the Coast and Dragon Magazine, written nine books, and host three incredibly popular websites, RolePlaying Tips, Campaign Mastery and Dungeon Mastering.

They’re big advocates of the Gamer Lifestyle, and they want to help you make a living writing about something you love instead of spending all your time writing for other people.

What’s New

If you’d like a recap on all of the great stuff that’s included in the Gamer Lifestyle, check out this post we wrote when they first opened the course. It includes hundreds of hours’ worth of training modules – with new additions constantly coming in – task lists to keep you moving forward, how-to videos, and community forums, as well as one of the best guarantees we’ve ever seen:

They guarantee you’ll earn your first dollar using the Gamer Lifestyle in just three months, or your money back.

It’s a pretty sweet deal, and we recommend you check it out again. But, what we mostly want you to do is look at what’s new and improved. Johnn and Yax have upped the ante quite a bit – and we were pretty impressed, because we frankly couldn’t see much to improve.

New Dynamic Checklist System

We all know how hard it can be to keep on top of our goals if we can’t see our progress. Yax’s brilliant creation fixes that problem. His checklist system lists all the actions you need to take to see income from your gamer lifestyle – and you can see your progress as you check off tasks with a percentage bar for each section.

When you hit 100% in a section, you’ll know that’s a portion of the Gamer Lifestyle that’s about to bear some very lucrative fruit. Instead of a passive system, you’re working with a guided tour to writing and gaming your way into a new income stream.

It also takes all the guesswork out of the lifestyle. You’ve read books that offer great ideas for how to create a business, but they don’t actually tell you what to do first and second and third. Yax’s system eliminates that problem. Simple steps, in order, tracking on your personal Gamer Lifestyle account. Talk about a motivator.

New How-To Videos

The how-to videos were a huge success, and Yax and Johnn know how to give people what they want. With easy follow-along tutorials, you’ll never be stumped by any of the technical aspects of the Gamer Lifestyle. Just follow along with the videos, and you’ll find yourself wishing these guys would create how-to videos for everything you’ve ever found difficult. Your taxes, for example. These guys could help you blast that out of the water.

Until they get on the tax thing, though, how-to videos that show you how to make money writing and gaming are a pretty sweet deal.

New Low Price

When Gamer Lifestyle first opened, it cost $450, and slots for the course filled up fast. But Johnn and Yax knew that price kept a lot of would-be gamer-lifestylers out of the course, so they racked their brains for a way to cut costs. They decided to cut the one-on-one coaching from the course and turn it into a monthly live group session instead, cutting costs by $200 and ensuring that everyone still gets a chance to get the answers to their questions in a group forum.

That’s $250, for a course that used to cost $450. They even offer a payment plan for those who can’t come up with the $250 all at once (3 payments of $97). It’s a pretty insane deal.

The best part? If you want to add the coaching back in, it’s just $150 per session, and it’s exclusively you and Johnn and Yax. You can get all your gaming questions answered instantaneously, with the focus strictly on you and what you hope to achieve with this new income stream.

Plus, the lack of coaching won’t be a problem for 5 lucky Men with Pens readers, since they’re also offering:

Free One-on-One Coaching for the First Five Signups

The first five MwP readers who sign up for the Gamer Lifestyle course will get an hour of coaching with Johnn and Yax totally free. That’s an hour in which you can pick the brains of two guys who actually live this lifestyle already – gaming and writing to earn an income.

You can find out how they did it, and you can ask them how to get your own skills to the point that they can support you in the gamer lifestyle.

And you can do it for free, if you’re one of the first five people who sign up.

We loved this course. James practically lost it when he first saw it, and it only gets better with age. And with that new low price point and the prospect of getting free coaching from Johnn and Yax personally, we can’t imagine what could hold you back.

You should get on it fast, though – they’re closing the course in just five days.

Yeah. Five days. That’s how quickly this baby fills up. And with the twin awesome guarantees – your money back if you haven’t earned your first dollar in the gamer lifestyle in three months; and your money back for any reason if you’re not satisfied in six months – it’s not surprising.

If earning a serious income stream from roleplaying, creative writing and gaming sounds like a dream come true to you, you should invest in this course. We’ll be expecting to see your byline in the next Wizards of the Coast.

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Post by James Chartrand

Another rockin' post from Men with Pens!
You Won’t Want to Miss This Lifestyle Offer first appeared on Men with Pens
Copyright 2006 - 2011, All Rights Reserved.

How to Put Rumors to Rest

Taylor — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 06:00:49 +0000

I’d like you all to imagine a Jedi hand-wave right now, because that title doesn’t work nearly so well without it.

There is no ebook. There has never been an ebook. We never referred to it obliquely a few weeks back. We haven’t been keeping it under wraps. We haven’t even subtly slipped it into place in our store without you being aware of it.

Never happened.

We did try to tell you there was nothing to this vicious rumor of a new, updated, expanded and generally awesome upgraded version of Write for the Web, your guide to becoming a freelance writer on the Internet.

After all, we wrote Write for the Web years ago. We have learned nothing since then. Nothing! And we’re certainly not sharing it with you.

It’s all lies, we tell you. Vicious lies. We heard the rumors, too. We heard gossip about all kinds of amazing things in this fantastic second edition release of the Write for the Web ebook, like:

• 85+ pages of brand-new, fresh, never-before-read-by-human-eyes (we don’t count James) content, all of it designed to help you become the biggest, baddest web writer the Internet ever did see.

• Extraordinarily valuable business resources (called Woots, no less!) by the score so you get an additional boost on your road to web writing superstardom

• Common Sense Tips – dozens of them! – to help you avoid the pitfalls we narrowly avoided when we were young and new.

• A huge section purely devoted to running your writing business, from getting the processes in place to help you make the best use of your time to finding an accountant who will help you make sense of your new tax forms.

• An even HUGER section on how to handle your clients, including how to write a proposal that gets accepted, how to give the perfect quote, how to nail that first draft, and how to handle clients that are straight-up jerks.

• Lots of ways to get you off your ass and into your new career as a web writer. No excuses. Starting right now.

None of this is in the ebook. We have no idea what you’re talking about. And what ebook, anyway? There is no ebook. I thought we covered this already. It is not in our store or available for sale as of today.

Look, here’s the thing. If you want to be a successful web writer, there’s no way anyone is going to just GIVE you the step-by-step formula to get there. (Ignore that pretty picture on the right.) No one is going to hold your hand. No one is going to go through all the skills and tools you need to set up the business. No one is going to tell you:

• What you need (and what you really don’t) to start a web writing business.
• The skills you never knew you had that absolve you of the need for prior web writing experience.
• How to land your first client, even if you’ve never written anything for the web before.
• How to land the next client. And the next one. And the hundreds of clients after that.
• How to get paid what you’re worth for every single project you write.
• How to read your client’s mind and get the voice for their assignment pitch perfect, first time out of the gate
• How to navigate the scams out there to find the legitimate job resources – and how to keep more money in your pocket.

That’s just too good to be true. Which is why it isn’t true, okay? No ebook is going to give you all of that.

Oh. And I don’t care what you’ve heard – there is no, absolutely no, extra-special-ridiculously-cool-super-satisfying BONUS section for every writer who has ever harbored a love for the written word in this release of Write for the Web.

Seriously, folks. Nothing to see here. Not even on this page right here. Don’t bother looking. Just go about your normal lives. Carry on, now.

P.S. It’s certainly not available for only $24. Come on, seriously. $24? For all that? That’s less than what James pays for his weekly pizza take-out. Crazy. Who comes UP with this stuff?

P.P.S. It’s most certainly not available at one single price for life without fear of it ever being jacked three times higher when you weren’t looking. Yeah, right.

P.P.P.S. It’s certainly not coming with a no-risk, money-back, no questions asked 100% satisfaction guarantee attached to it. Satisfaction is never guaranteed, folks, no matter what the woman told you.

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Post by Taylor Lindstrom

Taylor Lindstrom (fondly known as Tei) is a twenty-something copywriter and journalist from Boulder, CO. She’s the team’s rogue woman who wowed us until our desire for her talents exceeded our desire for a good ol’ boys club. She loves the color green, micro-point Uniball pens, and medieval weaponry.

Another rockin' post from Men with Pens!
How to Put Rumors to Rest first appeared on Men with Pens
Copyright 2006 - 2011, All Rights Reserved.

Top Ten Blogs for Writers: The Results are In!

James — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 19:45:03 +0000

Well, it’s a wrap, folks. The finalists are out for the Top Ten Blogs for Writers, and we’re pleased and honored to have made the grade again.

“Oh, come on, James. We all knew you’d be on the list…”

Well, to be frank, we didn’t. There are new sites for writers and writing blogs cropping up daily, some of them with excellent contributors making waves around the world. It’s anyone’s game, frankly.

And making it to the Top Ten Blogs for Writers list is still is anyone’s game, because no one should ever get so comfy they forget the little guy that might come out of left field. That’s where we came from, and we know that someone else can do the same.

Bring it on, tigers. With the great competition we all offer each other, we can only get stronger together.

Now for the list of finalists in the Top Ten Blogs for Writers – don’t forget to visit each site!

Copyblogger: This site is the heavyweight champion of the world four years running (and one of the top blogs on the planet)! The brain-child of Brian Clark, his blog keeps winning because of its insightful articles.
Men With Pens: James Chartrand and Harry McLeod maintain the number two slot with their inspiring content and rich community discussion.
Write to Done: This blog nearly always delivers a home run with its excellent articles for all writers and is the product of top blogger Leo Babauta.
Editor Unleashed: Inspired by the former Editor-in-Chief of Writer’s Digest, Maria Schneider explores writing, social media and community on her excellent blog.
Freelance Writing Jobs: This site is the first stop for freelance writers seeking new work and great articles (and it remains a top winner since this contest began). Congrats Deb Ng!
Confident Writing: Joanna Young delivers rich and useful articles that will help you take your writing to the next level.
Urban Muse: Susan Johnston covers a wide range of excellent topics that all writers will enjoy.
WordCount: Journalist Michelle Vranizan Rafter explores the challenges freelance writers face on her excellent blog.
Quips & Tips for Successful Writers: A true cornucopia of ideas for writers, Laura Pawlik-Kienlen provides endless content and freelancing tips.
Fuel Your Writing: This site will certainly fuel you! Michelle Krasniak Oxman and her huge team of contributors provide great content for writers

Congratulations to all winners this year and to everyone nominated as well. Also, thanks to our readers and those who support us on this crazy ride. It’s both rewarding and humbling.

And, a special thank you goes out to Michael. Events like this involve a lot of organization, and his contest gives every writing blog out there a chance to make it.

See you next year!

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Post by James Chartrand

Another rockin' post from Men with Pens!
Top Ten Blogs for Writers: The Results are In! first appeared on Men with Pens
Copyright 2006 - 2011, All Rights Reserved.

We Like Special Announcements. Here are Three.

James — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 18:03:52 +0000

Special announcements are good. Everyone needs special announcements from time to time, right? Well, I have three for you today.

Top Ten Blogs for Writers Finalists

The 4th annual Top Ten Blogs for Writers contest is now closed for submissions, and the list of finalists has been posted.

Nearly 300 blogs were nominated, and we’re honored to have made it to the list of finalists. We’re ready for the next stage, too, where finalist blogs are analyzed and winners selected based on some pretty tough criteria.

Whew. It’s a little nerve-wracking!

In Which Attempt to Clear Up Rumors

So recently, someone went and spread rumors about Taylor and an ebook. I’m stuck trying to defend my honor and dispel this vicious gossip. I don’t know who started it all, but when I find out, that person and I are going to have words.

Possibly even in French.

I really think it might be an impossible task, though. I mean, how can a writer who writes really good ebooks who works with another writer who writes equally-good ebooks possibly manage to convince the whole blogosphere that there are no ebooks on writing for the web being written around here?

It’s enough to make a grown man cry.

Want to Be King of the Castle?

I recently told you all about the 2009 Copywriting Success Summit. I think it’s a valuable course that can give a great deal of beginning or struggling writers a leg up to success.

No, really. I’m not kidding.

And the info is offered by some seriously successful writers that you want to listen to. Yes, really.

You don’t have to leave home. It’s all online. You don’t have to worry about value. These are top-name leaders, here. You don’t have to worry about a return on investment – if you apply all the tips and tricks you’ll learn in the Summit, you’ll make the price of the course back easily, and with plenty to spare.

And the price of the course? It’s basically less buying a cup of coffee at McDonalds every day for the next year. Only the Summit lets you be able to afford Starbucks.

The discount for the Summit expires next week, which means you have less than 7 days to quit waffling around, whining about low rates and no work. Jet yourself into the seat of success.

And even if you have no freakin’ interest in Starbucks every day, at least go get the free gift for copywriters. ‘Cuz it’s free. Sheesh.

That’s the end of my special announcements for this week, folks! Enjoy!

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Post by James Chartrand

Another rockin' post from Men with Pens!
We Like Special Announcements. Here are Three. first appeared on Men with Pens
Copyright 2006 - 2011, All Rights Reserved.

Top Ten Blogs for Writers: Time to Vote!

James — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 13:02:28 +0000

The 4th annual Top Ten Blogs for Writers contest is open and taking nominations!

That’s right. It’s time for you to head on over and vote for your favorite blog for writers.

(Men with Pens, right?)

Thanks to your support, we’ve been in the Top Ten Blogs for Writers for two years running now. (Check out last year’s results!) We sure would love to make it onto that list this year. We consider being in within the top ten a prestigious honor, and not one we take lightly.

We work hard to make it on that list, too. Remembering that we’re a blog for freelance writers first and foremost is always on our minds.

That’s why we give you awesome writing advice. Fantastic business tips. Tricks to get ahead, and ways to rock your freelance writing business so you can earn a decent living online.

And we’re not done yet. We’re here for a long time, not just a good time, so stay tuned for another full year of hits and chart-toppers.

But don’t forget to go vote!

Click here to nominate Men with Pens in the Top Ten Blogs for Writers challenge.

Thanks!

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Post by James Chartrand

Sticky Business Contest Winners: Congrats!

James — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 10:00:55 +0000

In November, we asked readers if they ever wanted to get unstuck from where they were. The resounding answer came back, and it was, “Yes!”

Our Sticky Business Contest received fantastic response, and nearly two hundred people entered. It was a tough competition though, not an easy random win, and after four weeks of task-work, only a little over 30 people were still in the game.

It’s time for us to announce the winners – and trust us, judges had a very hard time deciding who those winners would be. Everyone worked hard, ideas were original and contestants had done their research.

We received many emails thanking us for hosting the contest, because the tasks gave them direction, guidance, and pause for thought. Many people said that they were winners regardless, because their business idea took shape just from having answered the questions we asked.

If you want to benefit from the four easy questions that can help get your business idea off the ground, check out the Sticky Business tasks:

Before we release the names of winners, we’d like to thank our sponsors (thank you, thank you!!) and invite you to visit each of their sites.

And now for the winners.

First Prize Package – total prize value of $11,723.94 – Jared Covington

Whenever people ask what I do for a living and they find out my history of more than a decade working in the music industry with some of the biggest pop stars in the world, the first thing they ask is always, “I make music (or know someone who does). If I get you a copy of their stuff, can you give them some suggestions on how to get a record deal?”

When I tell them that they can make more money (and more effectively) by not getting a record deal at all, most refuse to believe that doing things on their own is even an option. I want to use my experience to teach musicians how to generate income by doing what they love without signing their life away to a record label and give them tools and guides to do it on their own.

Jared wins:

20 weeks access to the New Business Coaching Program sponsored by Duct Tape Marketing Authorized Coaches Elizabeth Walker and Ken Burgin – valued at $5,000
1 year of membership to the Traffick’d Internet Marketing Online Training Course – valued at approximately $638 per year
1,000 business cards printed with the design of your choice plus free shipping sponsored by – valued at approximately $25
1 custom-built website sponsored by Tech Solution – valued at $2,500
1 Brand Pack Design Kit sponsored by Brand-Ohs – valued at $1,000
1 audio Email Newsletter Course and 3 hours of coaching sponsored by Remarkable Communication – valued at $447
1 Authority Bloggercourse membership sponsored by Chris Garrett – valued at $397
1 30 Hours a Day Audio Program, 1 complete Confidence Course and a 1-hour Coaching Call sponsored by Rock Your Day – valued at $344
1 Website Content Starter Package sponsored by Scribizzy – valued at $300
1 hour of SEO Brainstorming Consultation sponsored by IttyBiz – valued at $250
1 month of Writer Coaching Services sponsored by Writing Journey – valued at $250
1 90-minute blog consulting session sponsored by Remarkablogger- valued at $225
1 SEO Press Release sponsored by SEO Content Solutions – valued at $145
1 hardcover copy of Do-It-Yourself Copywriting sponsored by Get It In Writing – valued at $39
1 hardcover copy of How to Capture Readers and Keep them Engaged sponsored by Writing White Papers – valued at $34.95
1 copy of How to Be a Freelance Rockstarsponsored by Freelance Switch – valued at $29
1 copy of Problogger: Secrets for Blogging Your Way to a Six-Figure Income sponsored by Darren Rowse and Chris Garrett – valued at $24.99

Second Prize Package – total prize value of $3,050.94 – Maggie Marton

Oh My Dog! will be the premiere shopping destination for pet owners in Bloomington, Indiana, offering all the necessities and goodies for healthy pets and happy people, from spa and grooming supplies to toys and homemade bakery treats.

But Oh My Dog! is more than just a shopping destination. It’s a community center for pets and their people. Want to make a scrapbook dedicated to Fido? We will offer a scrapbooking class. Interested in learning pet first aid? We’ll be offering a weekend session to teach the basics. Trainers will host seminars and workshops, too.

Bloomington is a small town with a very big heart, and we know that our customers value giving back. We will be reaching out to local shelters and the Monroe County Humane Association to discuss how our proceeds can help make their programs more successful, and our space will be offered to humane organizations for workshops and adoption events.

Maggie wins:

1 year of membership to the Traffick’d Internet Marketing Online Training Course – valued at approximately $638 per year
1 Link Builder Package for social media promotion from Performancing Services sponsored by Chris Garrett – valued at $370
1 Sacred Moment Home Study Coursesponsored by Heart of Business – valued at $367
1 Marketing Strategy Pack sponsored by Small Fuel Marketing – valued at $279
1 hour of Marketing Brainstorming Consultation sponsored by IttyBiz – valued at $250
1 hour of Niche Killer Consultation sponsored by Finance Your Freedom – valued at $200
Copywriting services for 1 professional bio and 1 About Us text sponsored by Berry-Brewer Freelance – valued at $200
1 30 Hours a Day Audio Program and 1 complete Confidence Course sponsored by Rock Your Day – valued at $194
2 weeks of Writer Coaching Services sponsored by Writing Journey – valued at $125
$100 credit for any theme template(s) sponsored by Theme Forest – valued at $100
1 30-minute blog consulting session sponsored by Remarkablogger- valued at $75
30 minutes of website or blog marketing consultation sponsored by Vandelay Web Design – valued at $50
1 $50 Amazon.com gift certificate sponsored by Freelance Writing Jobs – valued at $50
1 hardcover copy of Do-It-Yourself Copywriting sponsored by Get It In Writing – valued at $39
1 hardcover copy of How to Capture Readers and Keep them Engaged sponsored by Writing White Papers – valued at $34.95
1 copy of How to Be a Freelance Rockstarsponsored by Freelance Switch – valued at $29
1,000 business cards printed with the design of your choice plus free shipping sponsored by – valued at approximately $25
1 copy of Problogger: Secrets for Blogging Your Way to a Six-Figure Income sponsored by Darren Rowse and Chris Garrett – valued at 24.99

Third Prize Package – total prize value of $2,054.94 – Paul Orselli

I would like to provide affordable interactive exhibits and exhibit furniture built from “green” materials to museums. The company would be called “Eco-Zibits” to stress both the economy and ecology inherent in our products.

These economical and eco-friendly exhibits would allow museums to stretch their overburdened budgets while providing exciting and safe new activities for their visitors to enjoy.

Our choice of materials, finishes, and construction methods would limit the carbon footprint of our company, and we would attempt to utilize sustainable methods to provide the energy needed to produce our products. After museums were finished using their Eco-Zibits, they could be easily disassembled and recycled.

Paul wins:

1 year of membership to the Traffick’d Internet Marketing Online Training Course – valued at approximately $638 per year
1 Heart-Centered Article Writing Homestudy Course sponsored by Heart of Business – valued at $320
1 hour of Business Brainstorming Consultation sponsored by IttyBiz – valued at $250
1 30 Hours a Day Audio Program sponsored by Rock Your Day – valued at $147
2 weeks of Writer Coaching Services sponsored by Writing Journey – valued at $125
$100 credit for Performancing Ads sponsored by Chris Garrett – valued at $100
1 hour of Day Job Killer Consultation sponsored by Finance Your Freedom – valued at $97
1 Ice Cream Dream WordPress theme template sponsored by WordPrezzie – valued at $89
1 copy of Unveiling the Heart of Your Business sponsored by Heart of Business – valued at $85
1 hardcover copy of Do-It-Yourself Copywriting sponsored by Get It In Writing – valued at $39
1,000 business cards printed with the design of your choice plus free shipping sponsored by – valued at approximately $25
1 copy of Problogger: Secrets for Blogging Your Way to a Six-Figure Income sponsored by Darren Rowse and Chris Garrett – valued at $24.99
1 hardcover copy of Do-It-Yourself Copywriting sponsored by Get It In Writing – valued at $39
1 hardcover copy of How to Capture Readers and Keep them Engaged sponsored by Writing White Papers – valued at $34.95
1 copy of How to Be a Freelance Rockstarsponsored by Freelance Switch – valued at $29
1 copy of How I Built a Profitable Freelance Business for Under $50 (And How You Can Too!) sponsored by Self-Made Chick – valued at $12

We’d like to thank everyone who entered, participated, and helped make our contest a success. Let’s hear it for our winners!

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Post by James Chartrand

Teaching People What They Never Learned in University

James — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 10:00:02 +0000

Imagine going to University for say, about seven years. Imagine studying hard for more than 40 hours a week. Imagine trying to hold down a job while you do that just to make ends meet at the end of the month. Imagine fitting in friends, a social life family… You work hard, get exhausted, study long, crunch for exams and push to reach your goals.

It’s tough. You have to want it pretty bad.

Then the day finally comes. You walk out of the classroom for the last time. You’re on your own now. You take a deep breath of fresh, clean air and think, “I did it. I made it.”

You’re ready to open your doors and start building your business of dreams – and you don’t know a damned thing about how to do that.

Welcome to the world of lawyers.

These people (and other highly skilled professionals) go to school for many years and invest a great deal of their life (and their debt ratio!) into learning. Unfortunately, they often find themselves leaving school with a diploma, debt, and very little skills on how to build and manage a successful business.

They don’t know how to hire staff. They don’t know how to market their services. They don’t know much about customer service, let alone creating a client experience. They don’t know anything about accounting, or administration, or all the good stuff that goes with being a solo practitioner.

They have two options: Give it a shot and hope it works, or go work for someone else who already has a successful practice.

Both options have their downfalls. Who wants to learn on the fly and scrape their nose trying? Who wants to fail miserably and find themselves facing bankruptcy? Who wants to sign their dreams over to someone else and boost their success?

Now, these professionals don’t have to – because they’re waking up.

Around the world, change is happening. People are beginning to understand that business isn’t just for businesspeople. It’s for everyone. Gone are the days where we all depended on big firms, factories and companies for our future.

Today, we write our own future. We build our own companies and firms. We create our own destinies.

I believe that. This is why I said yes to be a member of faculty at Solo Practice University, a unique online university (and definitely one of its kind) empowering professionals with the vital business education their schools never taught them.

That’s right. As of today, Professor Chartrand it is. (Please, call me James.) I’ll be teaching branding and copywriting techniques at Solo Practice University to help legal professionals achieve better success.

I’ll be teaching alongside other distinguished faculty members like Brett Trout, author of Cyber Law: A Legal Arsenal for Online Business, and I’m very honored to have been asked to be part of such an amazing online University.

I’ll admit I’ve had moments when I think, “But I’m just James. I don’t have a fancy degree. I don’t belong here!” Then I realize that I may not have a University degree (yet), but I have many degrees’ worth of valuable skills, knowledge, and experience that I can share to create change.

And that’s the take-away message I want you to walk away with today. Not that I’m going to be a Professor or that I’m full of skills (and myself), but that all it takes to change someone’s world is the desire to learn and the willingness to share.

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Post by James Chartrand

We’ll Be Back on January 5, 2009

James — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 10:00:37 +0000

First, click this link. It’ll provide thematic background music for your reading pleasure.[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6WCXnlFWaIY[/youtube]

Good job. Now then, since our families and friends have been so patient with us throughout the year, we feel they deserve our attention during the holiday season.

We’ll be taking a short break from our regular posting schedule during this period, and we’ll resume our regular posting schedule on January 5, 2008. We know we’re supposed to write all about all our plans for the upcoming year, but really, we think that’s just tempting fate to come and screw each one up.

While we’re here, we’d like to thank those of you who have supported us this year, from readers to clients to

colleagues. Best wishes to all of you for the coming New Year, and may it be a bright, happy, prosperous one for each of you.

James and Harry

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