<?xml version='1.0' encoding='UTF-8'?><?xml-stylesheet href="http://www.blogger.com/styles/atom.css" type="text/css"?><feed xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom' xmlns:openSearch='http://a9.com/-/spec/opensearchrss/1.0/' xmlns:georss='http://www.georss.org/georss' xmlns:gd='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005' xmlns:thr='http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0'><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5422508359573895574</id><updated>2011-11-27T15:47:38.529-08:00</updated><title type='text'>A-Z Recipe Inspiration - A Recipe for Success</title><subtitle type='html'></subtitle><link rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#feed' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://az-recipe.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5422508359573895574/posts/default?max-results=100'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://az-recipe.blogspot.com/'/><link rel='hub' href='http://pubsubhubbub.appspot.com/'/><author><name>Admin</name><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><generator version='7.00' uri='http://www.blogger.com'>Blogger</generator><openSearch:totalResults>5</openSearch:totalResults><openSearch:startIndex>1</openSearch:startIndex><openSearch:itemsPerPage>100</openSearch:itemsPerPage><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5422508359573895574.post-5041678822215127246</id><published>2007-11-27T18:30:00.004-08:00</published><updated>2007-11-27T18:32:36.724-08:00</updated><title type='text'>Fried Green Tomatoes Recipe</title><content type='html'>My next-door neighbors found a human bone in their backyard. Let me rephrase. She thinks she found a human bone. They were putting up a fence in their backyard. They've been digging and shoveling and leveling posts. I unloaded some boards to be a Mister-Rogers-kind-of-neighbor. And she was still talking about the human bone she'd shown me the day before.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I was walking down the driveway, and she called me over to look at the bone. "Don't you think it's a human bone?" she asked.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I put my foot on it and rolled it around, inspecting each side. It's about the size of a small child's bone. I took my foot off it and said in jest, "You should call the authorities. Tell them you found a human bone."&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;We both stood over it, looking at it, concocting our own beliefs about the bone.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;"You really think I should?" she asked. The whole scene had my neighbor talking in a high-pitched voice.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Now I'm not an expert on human bones. I've never set eyes on them. I saw a picture of them the other night on Desperate Housewives. Somebody cut that woman up and put her in that trunk that floated to the top in some lake on the set of the show. So this was a first for me. I could tell it was a bone. Some kind of a bone.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;If it were me, I'd pitch the thing in the trash. I wasn't ready to call Cold Case and have that blonde-headed chick come out to put us all under surveillance. Ask us twenty questions. "How long have you lived next door, Mr. Stofel?" Then she would investigate my boring life.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;To pursue something like this is to invite too much drama into your life. They'll bring in a backhoe. Close off my driveway. Keep me from getting any work done with all the noise going on outside my window. It just makes your backyard seem like a graveyard. Then you get to worrying about the house. You'll start hearing footsteps on the boards or a heart beating beneath the floorboards like in that Edgar Allan Poe short story, "The Tell-Tale Heart." Remember the story? The narrator kills the old man because his pale blue eye, like a vulture's eye, is driving him insane. Everywhere he turns there's that eye, until finally he can't take it anymore. He inches his way into the old man's room each night until he finally springs on the old man who shrieks. The narrator throws the mattress over him. Suffocating him. Waiting for his last heartbeat. It happens. Then he dismembers him, like that body in Desperate Housewives. He raises the three planks of the floor of the chamber. The old man is gone. Elation.&lt;br /&gt;Tip! Put away your recipe cards and turn on your computer for an eye-popping look at what's happening in the cyber kitchen! Stop fretting over tonight's dinner or the weekend neighborhood barbecue since you now have a world of recipes and expert advice from world-renowned chefs.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Then a knock upon the door. Three policeman stand at his door. A terrible shriek coming from his house has been reported. But the narrator fears nothing. He's performed the perfect crime. He throws open the house. Slings his arms into every room. They are satisfied that it was indeed the narrator yelling in his sleep. The police pull up chairs and chat.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;At first it's exhilarating for the narrator. He's getting away with murder. Then it gets old. They will not go away. And it isn't because they are suspicious. They're not. Just tired. Just feel like talking. But this is when the heart begins to beat beneath the three planks, up under the three policeman's feet. But they cannot hear it, only the narrator hears the sound of the heart beating from beneath the three planks. He starts talking in a crazy, idiotic way—his voice reaching crescendos. But the heart beats above the sound of his voice. Louder and louder. Until the man cannot stand it any longer. And he pulls up the boards and reveals the old man's corpse.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The narrator shrieks, "Villains! . . . dissemble no more! I admit the deed!—tear up the planks! here, here!—It is the beating of his hideous heart!"&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Maybe I'm taking my neighbor's archeological dig too far. But it got me to thinking about Edgar Allan Poe and that zany story, and about how it bleeds into my story. I'm that way. Everything bleeds into a story for me. We are stories. You and I. Stories.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;So, as I said, it got me to thinking about my own heart. How it was hidden beneath the floor, inside this skin and bones that the Apostle Paul calls "the old man." That old sinful nature inside.&lt;br /&gt;Tip! The answer is quite simple: There is not a single no-bake cheesecake recipe in existence that will give you anything approaching what you get when you go through the effort of producing a baked cheesecake. Most of the no-bake recipes rely on some sort of gelatin to thicken the mix, or they mix in whipped cream to try to mimic the texture of the baked product.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I thought about how my heart was the first thing to respond to God on that day in a 1,000-member church. And the wild thing is—the evangelist speaking that day—he heard my heart. It must have been beating in his ears the way the heart beat in the ears of Poe's narrator.&lt;br /&gt;Tip! For some great tasting scone recipes visit http://kicked-up-cookie-recipes.com/scone-recipes.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Louder and louder it thumped, as if a low-rider was sitting at the red light at the corner with the bass thumping against the moment. It beat in his ears until he couldn't stand it anymore, and the evangelist shrieked, "Someone here; your heart is about to beat out of your chest. You need to get up and come down here to the altar and give your beating heart to Christ." I can remember his words like a mantra, even after twenty-three years. Word for word. True story.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;And it freaked me out. I was new to all of this church stuff. I went to church as a small child, but I can't tell you anything about it. I can't remember much before I was ten. But I can remember what that man said to me at the age of eighteen.&lt;br /&gt;Tip! Go through each cookbook and enter your favorite recipes on your database under Cookbook recipes. Unless the cookbook has sentimental value, sale your cookbooks.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I could relate to him somewhere deep inside my soul, underneath the three planks of the chamber. My heart beat. It pounded. Louder and louder. So I jumped up, went down to the altar, and shrieked, "I am the one with the beating heart. Me, this heart. It beats. I did it."&lt;br /&gt;Tip! For more great wedding and ethnic cookie recipes visit http://kicked-up-cookie-recipes.com/wedding-and-ethnic-cookie-recipes.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Of course, we are all guilty. We killed the most precious thing. The One thing. The One heart that took its last beat here, only to come back and beat inside everyone who listens. Louder and louder. And with each beat a new beginning for some poor soul whose heart has taken its last beat here, only to utter his first eternal hello there.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;● ● ●&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;My wife told me Bonnie buried the bone a couple of weeks ago. Put it back in the ground behind her house. I figured that was the end of it. Then Lee called this week and said, "Go to your backdoor, Bonnie has something for you."&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;So I did as told. I went to the backdoor and Bonnie was walking across the driveway we share. She had a basket with something inside. I could see right off that supper was mine. I even grinned. I just happened to be starving at the moment.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;And she held out this basket with a good ole' southern smile and said, "We had some extra barbeque ribs. It's Lee's secret recipe."&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;"You've got to be kidding me! This will be a feast. Thank you."&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;She smiled and turned to cross the driveway. And man, were they good! Succulent. I'd eat them every night of the week and die of hardened arteries. I wouldn't care. I was so excited about receiving them that I even thought about becoming a Bo Bice fan.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Then I got to thinking about that bone she found in her backyard, the bone I was telling you about a couple of weeks ago. Well, I got to thinking maybe they'd cooked up some secret recipe all right. Secret meat that used to be on that bone she found. You know it happened in that movie, Fried Green Tomatoes. They killed that man, chopped him up, made barbeque out of him, and fed him to that Georgia detective, who told Big George that it was the best barbecue he'd ever eaten, and asked him what his secret was. And Big George smiled and said, "Thank you, suh, I'd have to say the secret's in the sauce."&lt;br /&gt;Tip! For that reason I'll give you a few of my favorite recipes to try at home and if you like it then you are free to pass them on to friends and family that might need to loose a few pounds. An idea could be to invite them all over for dinner and if they like what you have cooked for them they might ask for the recipe them selves.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;And I was thinking, I hope they aren't feeding me a dead person.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The neighbors even found a grave marker in the backyard to go along with the bone. No lie. First came the bone, and then this grave marker appeared. This is where they said the bone must've come from. Said it may have been a soldier in the Civil War. They had my attention. It was some kind of white stone with a rough texture. It had three initials on it—W.C.P. I know because she had it leaning against the back of her house and called me over to look at it. Sure enough, it was a grave marker. And sure enough, it could be a Confederate soldier. General Hood, the Confederate general and full-time sot, took his men across the Tennessee River near Decatur on his way to get all those boys killed in the Battle of Franklin. So it could be a Civil War man. Or it could be they are setting me up. Making me think it was a Civil War man.&lt;br /&gt;Tip! One great healthy fish recipe is Baked Salmon. This dish is easy to prepare and is sure to please even the meticulous of people at your dinner table.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;They could've bought that grave marker at a yard sale. She's big into yard sales anyway. She bought a butcher's block at a yard sale today. I saw her tugging on it, trying to get it out of the back of her truck. I just happened to be walking out the backdoor. I swear I don't spy. I ain't a nosy neighbor, but like I said, she was trying to lift it out of the truck, and when I asked her if she needed help she said, "Naw, I got it." Then she said, "It's a butcher's block. I bought it at a yard sale for $3.00."&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I was thinking, That's an awful big butcher's block. She had both hands gripping it and she was straining a bit to carry it in the backdoor. I was also thinking, What's she going to cut up? A whole cow? Then I remembered the bone and grave marker. It was all coming together. She's Jeffery Dahmer's sister or something. I pictured her in her kitchen with a detached arm on that butcher's block. Freezer bags to the left of her and a knife in one hand, while the other hand on that arm's hand. Then I remembered the ribs. I figured I'd just eaten somebody the other night while I watched my NASCAR race. Maybe that's why, when I told them how good they were, she said, "Really?"&lt;br /&gt;Tip! No matter which type of fish you choose, your healthy fish recipe will be enjoyed time and time again. You may wish to try adding other vegetables such as onion, green pepper, or even zucchini for a unique and tasty treat.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I said, "Oh, yeah. Best ribs I've ever sunk my teeth into."&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;She said it again with this funny look on her face, she said, "Really? . . . Well, its Lee's secret recipe."&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;(Yeah, right.)&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Now I'm not accusing anybody of anything. But I tell you what, if I catch her toting a body bag in through the backdoor, I'm gonna go over there and tell her to let me know when the ribs are ready. I'm like that Georgia detective in that Fried Green Tomatoes movie—that was the best barbecue ribs I've ever eaten, and I'll eat'em again. I don't care whose ribs they are. They some good eating as long as Lee can keep his secret.&lt;br /&gt;Tip! Nope, there's just something about the recipe for cheesecake that brings for a sweet like no other. Everyone should have one in their recipe box.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;PUBLICATIONS&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;1. God, Are We There Yet?: Learning to Trust God's Direction for Your Life, a non-fiction book published by Cook Communications. Released—September 2004. Sales thru November 2004—2,262.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;2. God, How Much Longer?: Learning to Trust God's Redirection for Your Life, a non-fiction book published by Cook Communications. Expected release date—September 2005.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;3. Survival Notes for Graduates: Inspiration for the Ultimate Journey - a devotional for graduates published by Ambassador Books. Release date—March 2004. Sales 7,500.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;4. Survival Notes for Teens: Inspiration for the Emotional Journey - a devotional for students published by Ambassador Books. Release date—October 2004. Sales thru December 2004—3,500.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;OTHER AWARDS AND PUBLICATIONS IN LITTLE MAGAZINES:&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;"Post-it Note from God at the Edge of Faulkner's Yard," -2000 Writer's Digest Writing Competition Winner&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;"Post-It Note from God at the Edge of Faulkner's Yard," St. Anthony's Messenger, which exposed his writing to an audience of 340,000.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;"The Gene of Dysfunction," Aura Literary Arts Review—University&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5422508359573895574-5041678822215127246?l=az-recipe.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://az-recipe.blogspot.com/feeds/5041678822215127246/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=5422508359573895574&amp;postID=5041678822215127246' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5422508359573895574/posts/default/5041678822215127246'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5422508359573895574/posts/default/5041678822215127246'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://az-recipe.blogspot.com/2007/11/fried-green-tomatoes-recipe.html' title='Fried Green Tomatoes Recipe'/><author><name>Admin</name><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5422508359573895574.post-2167036808220352125</id><published>2007-11-27T18:30:00.003-08:00</published><updated>2007-11-27T18:32:15.937-08:00</updated><title type='text'>To Complain and Win! - My Personal Recipe</title><content type='html'>Prime directive: Make sure your claim is reasonable! Otherwise, forget it.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;First thing: If you have a legitimate claim denied or a beef with a company (my method can be applied to insurance companies, dealerships, bad fish, or whatever), prepare yourself for the likelihood of frustrating conversations with people who either can't think for themselves or have been told by their boss not to.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;If whoever takes your initial complaint is reasonable you'll be pleasantly surprised. If, however, what you're being told sounds like it isn't addressing your individual problem beware - the answer you're getting may be being read from a script. Companies often give their customer service reps pat, formulaic responses they must give and not stray from!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Get a name!! The person who answers your call will often say their name, if at all, in an inaudible light-speed mumble. Take the time to ask them to repeat their name if necessary. 3 times if necessary. Be sure you write the name down. When you call next time and the person answering doesn't know what you're talking about you want to be able to answer the inevitable "Who did you talk to?"&lt;br /&gt;Tip! For more information on baking procedures and hardware used in this recipe see our Baking Tips section.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Always, always, always: Keep notes on not only who you talked to, but when, the gist of the conversation, and the date and time. These records may be invaluable (see below).&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;If you expect BS you won't get as upset when you get it. This is especially true with the first person you talk to. By definition this is the low person on the totem pole. Anticipate they have zero decision-making authority and you'll save lots of energy right at the get-go.&lt;br /&gt;Tip! In the spring of 2006 the website http://www.mychickenrecipes.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Ask to speak to a supervisor. Do this sooner than later (see above). Don't make the "lateral move mistake!" As soon as you detect you're being stonewalled move up. Get a supervisor, then their supervisor, and on and on. Go as far as you have to go. You're looking for a person who sounds reasonable, understands your problem, and can do something about it.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Save time and energy, big-time. When you're connected to a "supervisor," make sure you haven't been passed to someone on the same level or, worse, some unrelated and useless department (happens a lot). As soon as you get a supervisor ask their position. Ask also, "Do you have authority to remedy my complaint?" If not, move on immediately.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Present yourself as cool and confident. This sends the message "I know I'm right and you're not going to wear me down." Some industries (did someone say "insurance companies?") count on you getting frustrated and giving up. Don't let them know if you are upset. Remember: If the facts are on your side you don't have to sweat. They do.&lt;br /&gt;Tip! Put away your recipe cards and turn on your computer for an eye-popping look at what's happening in the cyber kitchen! Stop fretting over tonight's dinner or the weekend neighborhood barbecue since you now have a world of recipes and expert advice from world-renowned chefs.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Depersonalize the issue. Don't become what psychologists call "ego invested." It will help you to be polite and in control if you keep in mind you're dealing with a human being who's got a hard job, is almost certainly underpaid, and is very likely working for a jackass.&lt;br /&gt;Tip! For more great brownie recipes visit http://kicked-up-cookie-recipes.com/brownie-recipes.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Keep your eyes on the prize! Keep in mind your goal; you want to get your money or promised services - not to get angry at the person you happen to be talking with.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Don't be a wimp! Lots of people tell you to be nice because you can catch more flies with honey than vinegar. I say don't worry about being "nice." If they aren't worried about your feelings you don't have to worry about theirs. That doesn't mean being rude or obnoxious.&lt;br /&gt;Tip! For some great tasting chocolate chip cookie recipes visit http://kicked-up-cookie-recipes.com/chocolate-chip-cookie-recipes.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;It's a good idea to be able to show you've tried everything to remedy your problem. It might help, and for the record, write a letter to the company outlining everything you've gone through.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;In the letter make sure you ask for exactly what you expect them to do! Do not expect them to figure it out because they won't.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Secret Weapon: Small Claims Court*&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;A small claims court case is the best-underused tool for people who've been screwed by big - or little - companies. It's the customer's weapon of mass destruction!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I know, you're saying ‘you can win but you can't collect.' That's not the way big companies see it. Believe me, they don't want legal judgments against them hanging over their heads and will almost always take these claims very seriously. Often, just filing or even threatening to file a complaint will get the attention and results you seek. 99% of the time it is far more expensive for companies to defend these cases than to make good on their original promises. If stating you're intention to file doesn't get attention the order they receive to appear in court is guaranteed to. And if they don't show up you win by default.&lt;br /&gt;Tip! What I suggest is to mark off time on your schedule to enter your recipes on the computer. Say 30 minutes a day or week, etc.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Case in point: Recently I got a long-overdue reimbursement check from a health insurance company. How? After many, many frustrating conversations and unreturned promised phone calls I left this message: "I have spent all the time I'm going to with you people. If this matter isn't resolved to my satisfaction by tomorrow at 3pm I am filing a small claims court suit for xxx $'s against your company." Result? The check was overnighted to me.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Don't let them intimidate you! It's the oldest trick in the book. If you file, you're likely to receive a letter from the defendant's legal department insisting your claim is "frivolous." They will then threaten to counter-sue you for their legal fees (big bucks) if you lose. Unless your claim is intentionally ridiculous, don't fall for it! Just losing doesn't make a case frivolous. This tactic usually means they're scared.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Absolute musts! You must have records of what your claim is and what you've been through before filing. Your claim must have merit! There are no guarantees you'll win should you go to court but if you don't have your records and documentation in order, you'll lose.&lt;br /&gt;Tip! You may find other cookies or baked goods actually used as flour would be used in a regular cookie recipe. For instance, vanilla wafer cookies, ground or chopped, are often used as the binder for shaped items like baseball cookies.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;An Ounce of Prevention&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;You can lower your risk of future problems. Before you do business with a company check to see if they're listed and/or rated with the Better Business Bureau. They have an Online Reliability program and companies who participate have to agree to dispute arbitration in order to participate.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Article from PREOWNEDCARS.COM, where 7% goes to charity. Visit us at WWW.PREOWNEDCARS.COM&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;File a Complaint Online: To file a complaint or to get free information on consumer issues, visit www.ftc.gov or call toll-free, 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357); TTY: 1-866-653-4261.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;*I am not a lawyer, and I don't play one on the Web. The following is from my research and personal experience. Note: small claims court rules vary from state to state, however, you can find out what you need at http://www.lawguru.com/faq/17.html.&lt;br /&gt;Tip! Peggy Bloodworth is an executive turned caterer. She, along with her business partner, Diane Kiser, own a small catering company and develope recipes, menus and parties for swank parties.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;About The Author&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;J D Sallen is a writer and long-time Internet free-speech crusader.&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5422508359573895574-2167036808220352125?l=az-recipe.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://az-recipe.blogspot.com/feeds/2167036808220352125/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=5422508359573895574&amp;postID=2167036808220352125' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5422508359573895574/posts/default/2167036808220352125'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5422508359573895574/posts/default/2167036808220352125'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://az-recipe.blogspot.com/2007/11/to-complain-and-win-my-personal-recipe.html' title='To Complain and Win! - My Personal Recipe'/><author><name>Admin</name><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5422508359573895574.post-6525142891720075429</id><published>2007-11-27T18:30:00.002-08:00</published><updated>2007-11-27T18:31:53.770-08:00</updated><title type='text'>Small Business Marketing: A Marketing Funnel Should Be Part of Your Recipe for Success</title><content type='html'>Your toughest job as a business owner and marketer is to get clients. It's also your most expensive job. So it stands to reason that you'd want to make the most of every single client you do get.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The best way to do that, and one of the most cost-effective ways to market your business, is to use a marketing funnel.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;What's a marketing funnel?&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Well, you're probably familiar with what a funnel looks like. It's got a large opening at the top and a small opening at the bottom. It looks kind of like an inverted triangle.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The idea of a marketing funnel is this ...&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;You want to get as many prospects and potential clients into the top of the funnel - the part of the funnel with the widest opening. Ahhh ... the better to hold all those prospects and clients!&lt;br /&gt;So how do you get clients into your funnel?&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;One way is with a free or low-cost, low-risk offer. Offering a free newsletter or ezine, a special report or even a complimentary consultation are all great ways to get prospects into your funnel.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;This lets potential clients "test drive" you before buying&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Giving prospects a way to "try you on for size" and see how they like your style and your approach is a great way to entice them onto your list. They can "test drive" you and your business, without first investing a lot of time or money.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;And it gives you the chance to create a relationship with them over time.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;This is particularly important if you're selling higher-priced professional services. Odds are most people will not purchase from you the very first time they come in contact with you or see your marketing. They need to get to know you first, to see if you're a good fit for their needs.&lt;br /&gt;Tip! This part of the success recipe should be obvious, but then many people look for shortcuts here. You can't study stocks for a few days and know enough to consistently beat the market.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;So what goes inside the funnel?&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Inside your funnel, you'll want to have a series of products and services, ideally increasing in value and price as you work your way down the funnel.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;My 10stepmarketing funnel starts with my Step-by-Step Guidebook and Resource Center, and is followed by several CD products, my telecourses and my Extreme Marketing Makeover Program. The value and price of these products and services increases as you go down the list.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The idea is that most people will try you out by first purchasing a lower priced, lower involvement product or service. Then, if they are pleased with that product or service, they're very likely to come back to see what else you have to offer.&lt;br /&gt;Tip! So get out there and search … but look carefully! Your perfect recipe for cheesecake could be just a few clicks away.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;And, they'll be more likely to spend more now that they know your products or services are high quality and deliver on your sales promise.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Fill your funnel with a variety of products and services&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;This gives you the opportunity to earn more from every client and helps you minimize the expensive and time-consuming task of always having to be looking and marketing for MORE clients.&lt;br /&gt;Tip! For cookie baking tips and a wide selection of recipes visit http://kicked-up-cookie-recipes.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Plus, with the right "top of funnel" product, you'll ATTRACT more clients.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;So what's at the bottom of the funnel?&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;This is where your very best clients end up. These are the people who love you and your products and services so much they'll buy anything and everything you make available to them.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;So, usually the product or service at the bottom of your funnel is your most expensive, most valuable one.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Take a look at your business and make sure you're using a marketing funnel. If you're not, make it part of your marketing plan to create one. And you'll always have a pipeline full of prospects and clients.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;(C) Copyright 2005 Debbie LaChusa&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Debbie LaChusa created The 10stepmarketing System to make marketing your own business as simple as answering 10 questions. Learn more about this unique, step-by-step system and get a free 10-week Marketing E-Course when you subscribe to the free, weekly 10stepmarketing Ezine at http://www.10stepmarketing.com.&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5422508359573895574-6525142891720075429?l=az-recipe.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://az-recipe.blogspot.com/feeds/6525142891720075429/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=5422508359573895574&amp;postID=6525142891720075429' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5422508359573895574/posts/default/6525142891720075429'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5422508359573895574/posts/default/6525142891720075429'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://az-recipe.blogspot.com/2007/11/small-business-marketing-marketing.html' title='Small Business Marketing: A Marketing Funnel Should Be Part of Your Recipe for Success'/><author><name>Admin</name><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5422508359573895574.post-6166122511587306755</id><published>2007-11-27T18:30:00.001-08:00</published><updated>2007-11-27T18:31:33.191-08:00</updated><title type='text'>A Recipe for Success</title><content type='html'>Special event and a special recipe&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;- hand it out on a business card.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I have seen many real estate people, give out recipes with their newsletter. I find one typed onto a full sheet almost every month. Some of the recipes look absolutely delicious but I find that the extra information and consequent size of the sheet make it not worth keeping (at least for me). A way around getting your recipes in the hands of the consumer is to put them on something that is easy to store in a recipe box or keep under a magnet on the fridge. If the recipe will fit on a business card, you can slip it in with the newsletter you distribute. The draw back to using a business card for this is the recipe can not be long and complicated. Send them back to your website for further details and more information!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Food and good cooking are always of interest to everyone. Entice them with a few good ones and tell them where to get more; this will help you build your contact list. Get them to join your mailing list for to find out when a new recipe is added. Make sure that you have your website and email address on the cards so they can contact you for further information. I once sent out a post card with a recipe everyone kept asking for over the years. I simply sent out a picture postcard with the finished dish on the front and a short note telling them where to find the recipe on my website. Although I no longer have this on my site, people kept the cards and actually went online for years afterwards.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Food may be a way to the customers' stomach but there are other uses for business cards that will yield more contacts for your database. Everyone wants to know time-saving tips.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Bette Daoust, Ph.D. has been networking with others since leaving high school years ago. Realizing that no one really cared about what she did in life unless she had someone to tell and excite. She decided to find the best ways to get people's attention, be creative in how she presented herself and products, getting people to know who she was, and being visible all the time. Her friends and colleagues have often dubbed her the "Networking Queen". Blueprint for Networking Success: 150 ways to promote yourself is the first in this series. Blueprint for Branding Yourself: Another 150 ways to promote yourself is planned for release in 2005. For more information visit http://www.BlueprintBooks.com&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5422508359573895574-6166122511587306755?l=az-recipe.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://az-recipe.blogspot.com/feeds/6166122511587306755/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=5422508359573895574&amp;postID=6166122511587306755' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5422508359573895574/posts/default/6166122511587306755'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5422508359573895574/posts/default/6166122511587306755'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://az-recipe.blogspot.com/2007/11/recipe-for-success.html' title='A Recipe for Success'/><author><name>Admin</name><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5422508359573895574.post-4127629870386662928</id><published>2007-11-27T18:30:00.000-08:00</published><updated>2007-11-27T18:31:11.414-08:00</updated><title type='text'>Why Trying to "Get the Appointment" Can be a Recipe for Dis-Appoinment</title><content type='html'>Why Trying to "Get the Appointment" Can be a Recipe for Dis-Appoinment&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Last week, this e-mail from Jack arrived in my inbox:&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;To: Ari Galper From: Jack Subj.: Help! I need to get more appointments Dear Ari,&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I've just coined a new disease for the medical books, and I'm hoping you can help me cure it.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Have you ever heard of "freezing-up-on-the-first-call paralysis"? It's brought on by the stress of selling!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I'm new to sales, and, as I've been starting out, I've studied all the programs from all the "sales masters."&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;They all insist that, when I call new prospects, I should be laser-focused on getting appointments.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The problem is, when I make that first call and lead the conversation toward the goal of getting an appointment, I hit a "wall."&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I know that if I can just get face-to-face with prospects, they'll see the value of my solution -- but I can't even get there because they shut me down.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;When they tell me "I'm not interested" or "I'm busy now" or "We already have a vendor," I'm left with nowhere to go.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;What's worse, I can't even come up with what to say next.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Can you recommend some "medicine" that will help?&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Always open-minded, Jack&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;"Whew!" I thought when I read this. "That's an intense e-mail!" Jack's e-mail started me thinking about the hundreds of conversations I've had with many of you who are out there selling your solutions day in and day out.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I realized that his "disease" is so pervasive that those of you who are suffering from it could probably use a "prescription" from the Unlock The Game™ pharmacy.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;This was my response to Jack:&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;To: Jack From: Ari Galper Subj.: RE: Help? I need to make more appointments&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Dear Jack,&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;First of all, thank you so much for being open to sharing your painful selling challenge.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;You articulated so beautifully what so many other people are experiencing, and I hope you won't mind if I share your e-mail and this response with my newsletter subscribers.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Here's why you've been afflicted with this "disease"-- and what you can do to cure it.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The "wall" you hit when you try to get the appointment is the prospect's reaction to you putting your own objectives ahead of the crucial trust-building process that would actually allow an appointment to emerge.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;By laser-focusing on getting the appointment, you're sabotaging three factors that are vital if you're going to build trust.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;To build trust, you need to:&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;1. Focus the conversation on your prospect's problems, while holding off on offering your solution.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;2. Create a two-way dialogue instead of a one-way monologue.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;3. Determine whether you and your prospect are a "fit" in terms of being in sync about putting resources toward solving the problems.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;All three of these elements must happen in the most natural way possible... and you can help them to come about. Here's how:&lt;br /&gt;Tip! Peggy Bloodworth left a job as a sales VP in a high tech company entertaining clients around the world for a personal chef and catering business where she is chef for swank party givers in Research Triangle Park, NC. More party ideas, recipes, menus and pictures can be found on her website swank website.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;*Invite your prospect into the conversation naturally and comfortably -- not by making a mini-introduction about yourself (that only triggers the "wall"), but by asking, "Can you help me out for a second?"&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;*Toss out your selling scripts and create a dialogue path around the specific problems that you know your product or service can solve.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;For example, rather than saying, "Our solution lowers costs," try, "Our solution solves three specific problems that you may be experiencing."&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Then, state exactly what those problems are.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Identifying and agreeing on the prospect's problems is crucial but not enough to build the trust and commitment you're seeking.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;You can continue the conversation with something along these lines: "Sounds as if these issues are important for you, but, if we can just take a second, are they considered a priority, given what else might be on your plate right now? I mean, are these problems immediate enough that your company can put resources into a solution at this point?"&lt;br /&gt;Tip! Follow this simple baby shower recipe and you will be sure to have a great party! If you would like more information on planning the perfect baby shower visit http://www.we-review-for-you.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;You see, Jack, the basic cause of your "disease" is that you're not focusing your calls on your prospect's perspective. But if you simply expand your mindset and begin implementing new problem-solving language, you might be surprised when your prospect suggests making an appointment.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Warmest regards,&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Ari&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The next day, Jack replied:&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;To: Ari Galper From: Jack Subj. Re: Help! I need to make more appointments&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Dear "Dr." Ari,&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Thank you so much! Your reply gave me a huge sense of relief.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;All of a sudden, I'm feeling "healthy" and motivated again.&lt;br /&gt;Tip! So get out there and search … but look carefully! Your perfect recipe for cheesecake could be just a few clicks away.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Your relieved patient,&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Jack&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;P.S. Sure, please do share our conversation with your subscribers so they don't have to suffer the way I have.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Try this medicine and see if it works for you.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;With a Masters Degree in Instructional Design and over a decade of experience creating breakthrough sales strategies for global companies such as UPS and QUALCOMM, Ari Galper discovered the missing link that people who sell have been seeking for years.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;His profound discovery of shifting one's mindset to a place of complete integrity, based on new words and phrases grounded in sincerity, has earned him distinction as the world's leading authority on how to build trust in the world of selling.&lt;br /&gt;Tip! This is a recipe for turkey taquitos. Keep in mind that I can barely read directions, much less give them, so this may be a bit haphazard.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Leading companies such as Gateway, Clear Channel Communications, Brother International and Fidelity National Mortgage have called on Ari to keep them on the leading edge of sales performance. Visit http://www.unlockthegame.com to get his free sales training lessons.&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5422508359573895574-4127629870386662928?l=az-recipe.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://az-recipe.blogspot.com/feeds/4127629870386662928/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=5422508359573895574&amp;postID=4127629870386662928' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5422508359573895574/posts/default/4127629870386662928'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5422508359573895574/posts/default/4127629870386662928'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://az-recipe.blogspot.com/2007/11/why-trying-to-get-appointment-can-be.html' title='Why Trying to &quot;Get the Appointment&quot; Can be a Recipe for Dis-Appoinment'/><author><name>Admin</name><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry></feed>
