Business Ethics

• The Hijacking of You and The Pivotal Decade

Global Travel Review

• The Travel Bookshelf

Global Arts Review

• The Theatre Bookshelf

Down to Business

• The Business Bookshelf

The Good Business Blog

• Great Ad…Missed Opportunity to Increase Effectiveness
• People’s Victory: VT Senate Says NO to VT Yankee
• Even More Questions About the Google Book Settlement
• Media is Complicit in Accepting Tiger Woods’ Scripted, Unquestioned Apology
• Obama’s Nuclear Plant Pre-Bailout: His Dumbest Move Yet?
• Writing For Young Children About Complex Social Issues: A Diversity Author Shares Her Perspective
• Can A Journalist Whose Child is a Soldier be Objective About THAT War?
• And Now, Back to Our Regularly Scheduled Programming
• A Fun Book About Marketing…A Great Strategy for Product Launch
• If You Don’t Tell Them, How Will They Know You’re Doing the Right Thing?
• Building Cooperative Marketing Relationships: Practicing What I Preach
• Recapping a Rough Week for Progressives
• To Obama and the Dems: Wake Up, Move Left, Be Powerful
• Shills and Specials: Running the Gauntlet on Ocean Drive
• Another Case of Customer Service Stupidity

Gina Mollicone-Long’s book Think or Sink impressed me a great deal, looking at the interaction of physiology, emotions, and success. I particularly like her approach to failure as a learning experience. If stress, job worries, or even weight loss issues are dominating your thinking, this book can pull you out of your funk. Visit http://www.ginaml.com/think/ for the book and a pile of bonuses, including my 12 New Year’s Resolutions For a More Ethical, Ecological, Profitable, and Successful Business.

Meanwhile, Jim Garland hopes to raise $10,000 for The Mark Victor Hansen Foundation’s antipoverty/literacy/entrepreneurship training work through his book, The Practical Guide to Exceptional Living. Lots of focus on gratitude and how to discover your ultimate life experience. You get the book, e-book, audiobook, and $2500 in bonuses. http://www.thepracticalguidetoexceptionalliving.com/

If you follow me on Twitter, you might notice that some of my Tweets originate from “ShelHorowitzEthicalGreenMarketing”–and that if you click on that origination message, it takes you to the home page for my new book, Guerrilla Marketing Goes Green. I think this is waay cool. If you’d like to get your own branded tweets, from whatever you want to be known for and pointing to the link of your choice, it costs nothing to sign up: http://su.pr/1vpxQN Thanks to Tammy Fennell for developing this, and telling me about it.

Suzanne Evans is driven by a passion and desire to help business owners discover the key to success – being authentic in their business. In just two years she grew her business from zero to a quarter of a million dollars by helping more people. She thought this growth was normal and when she realized it was not, she wanted to find a way to share her journey with you. In retrospect, she realized that helping more people and making more money begins with finding your own authentic marketing blueprint. The coolest part? When she stopped traditional “salesy” marketing, she made over a half a million dollars. She’s sharing her story on a no-charge call on January 12: http://www.1shoppingcart.com/app/?af=1076845

At the recommendation of both Mari Smith and my long-time Vitual Assistant Michelle Shaeffer, I just signed up for Backupify, the leading social media Backup provider. Backupify makes secure, automated, daily backups of your online accounts. Backupify supports backup of Twitter, Facebook, Gmail, Wordpress, Basecamp, Flickr, and more… 15 services in total. Too new to know how well it does, but certainly worth trying. Best of all, Backupify is free if you sign up before Jan 31st. Click this link to register.

Ethics Articles

• How To Fix the experience–then the “fish”

Global Travel Review

• Staring Down Rifle Barrels Near Mount Ararat (the Biblical Noah’s Landing Place)

Down to Business

• Blog Mistakes

Peace & Politics

• Shock and Trance: Diagnosing a Culture of Indifference

Frugal & Fashionable Living

• Start Thinking Now About Making Next Year’s Holidays Greener

Good Business Blog

• Is It Time for the “Elm Street Economy?”
• How Progressives Can Move Obama to the Left
• TSA Subpoenaed My Friend For Telling the Truth
• Stand Against Injustice! Join These Two Facebook Groups
• Poetry as an Organizing Tool? Oh , Yeah!
• How Many Contacts Do You Need to Make a Sale?
• Olbermann on the healthcare travesty
• This is What Gives Marketing a Bad Name
• Advice to New Entreprenurs
• The Dawn of Eco-Chic?

Reminder: last three days to pick up your deep-discount copies of Principled Profit, and then they’re gone forever.  Buy cases at just $4 per book, single copies at $11.95. We sold quite a few at $17.50, so this is a great deal.

-> A Life-Changing $11.95 Gift for the Entrepreneurs in Your Life
A one-time deep-discount (minimum 32 percent) offer from now through December 31 that WILL NOT be repeated, ever. And the more you buy, the bigger the discount, all the way down to 77 percent, in case quantities. Your perfect chance to snap up inexpensive but extremely valuable gifts for business owners, key staff, colleagues, and customers.  This may be the perfect gift for the entrepreneurs and marketers in your life, especially those who’ve been hit hard by the recession. Imagine a roadmap to business success that shows how to… (click here to continue reading)

Some of the opportunities mentioned pay a commission to Shel. Shel maintains high quality standards for mention in this column, and has either personally vetted the product, experienced previous products of top quality from the provider, or mentions in the write-up that he hasn’t seen it. Many products get turned down if they don’t meet these criteria. If you’d like to know if a particular program is commissionable, you’re welcome to ask us.

–> Media Coverage of Shel

• I speak at the two-day Forum Davos conference in Davos, Switzerland, February 9: “Communicate the Value in Your Values and Turn it Into Sales: Effectively Marketing Your Social/Environmental Commitment” (this is the same hall and just after the world-famous Davos World Economic Forum, where people like Bill Clinton speak–I’m extremely excited).
• Wednesday, February 24, 5 pm, I’ll be exhibiting my new book and other goodies at the Amherst-Area Chamber’s Buy Local Expo. Somewhere within ten miles of Amherst, MA.
• I’m attending Ryan Lee’s Continuity Summit, March 4-6 in Stamford, CT, http://www.ryanlee.com/rsvp/. He’s not even charging for the seminar, though of course, you’re on your own with lodging. Last year’s conference was excellent, although a bit high-pressure for my taste.
• March 24, I’m doing a teleseminar for Stacy Karacostas on Green and ethical business success: stacy (at) success-stream.com
• April 25, I’ll be speaking on collaborating with a co-author at the American Society of Journalists and Authors conference in New York. http://asja.org/wc/2010/
• May 8, I’ll be speaking once again on book marketing at CAPA University in Hartford, CT (also in negotiation to speak at both IBPA-U and Book Expo America later that month)
• Pioneer Valley Book Launch Event for Guerrilla Marketing Goes Green: Winning Strategies to Improve Your Profits and Your Planet, Broadside Books, Northampton, MA, 7 pm, Tuesday, January 26.
• Monday, February 22nd at 9:00 pm ET, 6 pm PT, I’ll be leading another teleclass for Hilton Johnson’s organization (which means, once again, you’ll be getting notices about his health coaching and about the other speakers booked that month, which include T. Harv Ecker). This time, my topic is “Create Value from Your Values.”

Friends Who Want to Help

• Eric Gruber is a true article marketing expert. He and his clients get published regularly on my websites as well as on top websites like About.com. He’s offering a very low price for his Complete A to Z Article Marketing System: 7 different ebooks and special reports that will take you by the hand and teach you step-by-step how to write your way to  profits. Check out his article system now at: http://www.broadcastyourarticles.com/shel – and the free ebook waiting for you: “How to Build Your Business with Articles in 6 Steps” – no purchase necessary!
• So you probably know that I make a good chunk of my living writing press releases and other marketing materials. But even though you’re much more likely to get press coverage with a professionally written release, not everybody can afford that (or sometimes, the deadline is too short). In those situations, it’s good to have a swipe file.  For that purpose, I’ve long been a fan of Paul Krupin’s *Trash Proof News Releases*: a tool designed with one specific goal – to get you high-ROI publicity in your target media. Use it as a model to provide the media everything they need to run with the story using you and the resources you’ve arrayed and meet their needs in today’s fast paced environment and ever changing technologies. Last time I checked, I still had a press release or two included.  Book page to download Trash Proof News Releases Smashwords edition (no cost, if I’m not mistaken):  http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/5921
• Liz Lynch has an EASY, fast and effective way to build your network–online and offline: http://SmartNetworkingNow.com For starters, she has 74  networking gifts for you in a special limited time gift basket, no purchase necessary. I’ve looked at her book and it’s solid, practical advice. Yes, you can find similar wisdom scattered around the Net, but it’s nice to get it all in one place.
• Bhavin Patel is a student of many of the classic masters of wealth-building. He’s put together an anthology of good business practices for recessionary times called “Cure the Crunch – Business Big Shots Reveal the Secrets of Small Business Success During a Recession!” This book includes an essay from me. One of the things he’s doing, for which I’m a BIG advocate, is including a charity component: during the launch, he’s giving one British pound (about two dollars) from every sale to Kiva.org, a microlending organization that funds village sustainability in developing countries. And if you’re new to the whole marketing thing and want to pick up some of the classics, his package of 12 bonuses includes several must-reads for any entrepreneur:  Classics from T. Harv Ecker, James Allen, Napoleon Hill…a veritable library of success wisdom from the past hundred years. I’m proud that Bhavin considers my report, “Five Ways to Increase Profitability by Doing The Right Thing,” worthy enough to include with this collection as one of his 12 bonuses.  http://bit.ly/Cure-shel-Launch
• Feeling stuck when you call prospects and can’t get past the gatekeepers? Wendy Weiss, “The Queen of Cold Calling,” wants to help. She’s offering a call *This Thursday,* called How to Bypass Gatekeepers and Voice Mail to Reach Your Prospect Directly. Cost is $79–and if you get even two or three new clients from her techniques, that’ll be money well spent (yes, there is a recording if you can’t make it). http://tinyurl.com/y89t6ja
• Dan Janal from PR Leads has worked out a short-term deal with PR Web, to post a press release for just $150 instead of $200–has to go out by the end of January, so don’t wait too long to contact him, dan (at) prleads.com or Twitter: @prleads
• The always-very-cool Kathleen Gage has launched “Street Smarts Marketing   Membership Program: A  Step-By-Step, 52-Week Training Program For Starting And Running A Successful  Six Figure a Year Online Business,” a one-year monthly membership program focused on Internet marketing strategies and passive income generation at a very reasonable price. http://www.kickstartcart.com/app/?Clk=3434337
• Of course, if you’d rather have a membership program focused on Green and ethical success strategies, I recommend my own Clean and Green Club, http://thecleanandgreenclub.com/

Some of the opportunities mentioned pay a commission to Shel. Shel maintains high quality standards for mention in this column, and has either personally vetted the product, experienced previous products of top quality from the provider, or mentions in the write-up that he hasn’t seen it. Many products get turned down if they don’t meet these criteria. If you’d like to know if a particular program is commissionable, you’re welcome to ask us.

Down to Business Magazine

• Where else will you find… “As my boat sank into the Zambezi”
• Improving Customer Experiences – Is It Still Important Or Is Price The Only Thing That Matters?
• The Dos and Don’ts of Social Media Marketing
• Sales Lessons From The CEO Of 6th Fastest Growing Company
• The Business Bookshelf
• Only Losers Cut Their Prices

Global Travel Review

• Krakow 101:  Food and Architecture
• Three Days in Northern Morocco
• Return to Andalucia After 17 Years
• The Travel Bookshelf

Global Arts Review

• The Theatre Review

Frugal & Fashionable Living

• Google Is More Than Just a Search Engine
• Your Words Have Power–Choose Them Carefully
• Elegant Christmas Dinner on a Dime

Ethics Articles

• Saying Thanks is Good Marketing

Good Business Blog

• Green Press Initiative Reports Publishers with 50% of US Market Now Have Environmental Commitments
• Are Kids Really More Prone to Lie than Previously
• Ben Franklin: Genius and Contradictions
• Obama, International Communication, and the Need to Organize
• Palin’s Book Trashes Alaska Republican Former Ally: “The Falafel Lady”
• FAIR: Interlocking Directorates Could Influence Media Reportage on Healthcare
• World Wildlife Fund Teleseminar on Climate Change/Corporate Partnerships
• A New Low in Anti-Obama/Anti-Muslim Propaganda?
• Breaking: No Vote to be Taken on Medicare-for-All
• Social Responsibility: A Global Virtual Summit–Q&A with John Gerstner/Discount Offer

• Eric Gruber is a true article marketing expert. He and his clients get published regularly on my websites as well as on top websites like About.com. He’s offering a very low price for his Complete A to Z Article Marketing System: 7 different ebooks and special reports that will take you by the hand and teach you step-by-step how to write your way to  profits. Check out his article system now at: http://www.broadcastyourarticles.com/shel – and the free ebook waiting for you: “How to Build Your Business with Articles in 6 Steps” — no purchase necessary!
• So you probably know that I make a good chunk of my living writing press releases and other marketing materials. But even though you’re much more likely to get press coverage with a professionally written release, not everybody can afford that (or sometimes, the deadline is too short). In those situations, it’s good to have a swipe file.  For that purpose, I’ve long been a fan of Paul Krupin’s *Trash Proof News Releases*: a tool designed with one specific goal – to get you high-ROI publicity in your target media. Use it as a model to provide the media everything they need to run with the story using you and the resources you’ve arrayed and meet their needs in today’s fast paced environment and ever changing technologies. Last time I checked, I still had a press release or two included.  Book page to download Trash Proof News Releases Smashwords edition (no cost, if I’m not mistaken):  http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/5921
• Join Diane Tegarden as she engages Environmental and Renewable Energy Experts for a half-hour interview on environmental problems and their solutions through Renewable Energy technologies.  On December 8th at 10am PST/11am MST/ 12 noon CST/ 1pm EST the guest will be Shel Horowitz of Principled Profit, to discuss the ins and outs of green marketing.  Listen in at 646-721-9960 or visit the show’s home page at: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/Diane-Tegarden
• Just for fun: A silly dictionary of publishing terms, courtesy of book distributor, publisher, and author Jacqueline Simonds: http://www.rightreading.com/publishing/publishing-glossary.htm
• Liz Lynch has an EASY, fast and effective way to build your network… online and offline: http://SmartNetworkingNow.com For starters, she has 74  networking gifts for you in a special limited time gift basket, no purchase necessary. I’ve looked at her book and it’s solid, practical advice. Yes, you can find similar wisdom scattered around the Net, but it’s nice to get it all in one place.
• Who would have thunk it? The brilliant and quirky New Zealand marketer Sean D’Souza of Psychotactics is *giving away* one of his $2500 courses! I’ve signed up for this one myself, and the link I’m giving you is not an affiliate link. I’ve learned considerably more from Sean’s freebie newsletter over the years than I have from most of the hundreds of marketing books I’ve read. Go sign up at http://www.psychotactics.com/freezone before he closes this offer (the opt-in form is waaaay at the bottom).
• Does “selling” feel like an icky, sticky, dirty word, to you? It does to a lot of people but without sales, your business will fail-leaving you feeling awful and depriving your prospects of a needed resource! Don’t let that happen to you! Listen to a replay call, “Stop Selling and Start Sharing: Learn How Your Marketing Can Be Authentic, Be Effective and Change the World!” Suzanne Evans, of Help More People, promises to “de-ick the sales conversation for you once and for all.” Visit this page to hear the replay. Since I write about similar ideas in my award-winning sixth book, Principled Profit: Marketing That Puts People First, I’ve very much looking forward to seeing what she has to say.
• If you’ve followed me for a long time, you know that participation in online discussion groups has been the single best marketing tool for going from a tiny shop with a small local clientele (branching out from writing resumes to doing press releases, book covers, web page copy, and the like) to being internationally known as a copywriter, book shepherd, marketing and publishing consultant, and speaker. Mohit Kumar has launched a new no-cost Internet portal, Tweble, that tracks over a million discussions online form around the world. What a cool concept! Great for tracking stories and trends you can comment on or need to know about. Oh yeah, and if you own a forum, there are some revenue-sharing possibilities in the future. If you get value out of places like Digg, Delicious and StumbleUpon, check out http://tweble.com/
• I’ve long been a believer in the incredible positive benefits of being a “giver”; it’s something I’ve talked about in Principled Profit and elsewhere. So I was delighted to discover a book built entirely around this concept. The book, The Power of Giving: How Giving Back Enriches Us All reveals strategies and secrets of people who possess true wealth and happiness: making the world a better place, which has the side benefit of bringing a great deal back to you-but only if your giving stems from sincerity rather than selfishness. I was also quite impressed with the authors’ philosophy – and with their commitment to give away 100% of the royalties they receive. I’ve poked into several sections of the book and have found gems all the way through. http://powerofgiving.org/paperback
• A Search Tool That’s Better than Google? How about one that delivers your choice of results from Google, Yahoo, MSN, Yelp, Wikipedia and various other places-and displays results before you even click? Try it yourself on our search page – click where it says “Say Hello to Search 2.0?” and start typing your query.
• Sokule (pronounced so-cool) is a cool new Twitter-like social network offering some revenue possibilities.
• This is by far the cheapest program on how to become a #1 bestseller that I’ve ever seen. 9 audios, plus support materials and bonuses. I have not personally reviewed the material but I did look at the scope of what it covers, seems like a lot of good info. Again, I haven’t listened-just sharing the information. http://shelhorowitz.com/go/yourbestseller/