Wednesday, May 25, 2005

Hero Soul Special Offer

Pre-press discount offers for “The Hero Soul” by Sharif Khan:

Strong sales make it necessary for “The Hero Soul” to go back on press.

Offer #1 Place a quantity order before June 22 and receive a substantial pre-press bonus discount.

Offer #2 Recommend “The Hero Soul” to an associate and it results in an order, you will receive complimentary copies equal to 10% of the order.

To take advantage of either limited time offer, please contact Sharif Khan at (416) 417-1259 or by email: sharif@herosoul.com

http://www.herosoul.com

Tuesday, May 24, 2005

Breakfast of Failures

by Sharif Khan

“If you want to increase your success rate, double your failure rate.”
--Thomas Watson, Sr. Founder of IBM

Before the Breakfast of Champions – there was the Breakfast of Failures:

• C.S. Lewis (The Chronicles of Narnia) had over 800 rejections before he sold even one piece of writing.

• Oprah Winfrey was not deterred when she got fired from her television reporter’s job being told, “You’re not fit for TV.”

• Og Mandino (The Greatest Salesman in the World) had lost his family to drink and became a homeless person before becoming an inspirational bestselling author selling over 30 million books.

• Marie Curie, recipient of two Nobel Prizes once said, “I tried out various experiments…and the results were sometimes unexpected. At times I would be encouraged by a little unhoped-for success, at others I would be in the deepest despair because of accidents and failures resulting from my inexperience…I was taught that the way of progress is neither swift nor easy.”

• Bill Gates and Michael Dell were college drop-outs.

• Babe Ruth had more strike-outs then any other baseball player of his time. He also had the most home runs.

• Ann Bancroft, the first woman to travel across the ice to the North Pole, reminisced later about not reaching a goal to cover 2,300 miles across Antarctica (bad weather forced them to be airlifted off) on an expedition with her sister: “Once again this [expedition] is another successful failure.”

• After auditioning for his band, musician Eddie Bond told a young Elvis Presley to “Stick to driving a truck, because you’ll never make it as a singer.”

• Abe Lincoln lost his job and his sweetheart, failed miserably in business, was defeated for state legislature, had a nervous breakdown, was defeated for nomination for congress, lost the renomination, was defeated for US Senate, defeated for nomination of Vice President, and again defeated for US Senate, before being elected as the sixteenth President of the United States.

Forget about living a ‘comfortable’ life. I’m not interested in the items you’ve crossed off your to-do list today. I want to know: have you failed – I mean really FAILED lately?


Sharif Khan is a professional speaker, writer, coach, and author of Psychology of the Hero Soul, an inspirational book on awakening the hero within and developing people’s leadership potential. For more information, visit http://www.herosoul.com Email: sharif@herosoul.com Tel:(416) 417-1259. Copyright © 2005 by Sharif Khan.


Publishing Guidelines: You may republish this article as is electronically or in print provided you leave the bylines in tact at the end, and make the Hero Soul web address clickable. Author notification is appreciated and if published in print a courtesy copy is requested. [Minor reformatting allowed to better display copy]





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Sunday, May 22, 2005

10 Marketing Tips for Entrepreneurs

Nothing happens in business until a sale is made. Marketing is simply about getting new customers and keeping them. If you’re not doing something everyday to market and promote your business, your competitors are. Here are ten easy-to-implement tips to effectively market and grow your business:

1. Partner with large email database list owners and offer to cross promote each oher. The list owner will advertise your event, product, or service to their email database and you’ll offer to do the same to your list.

2. Create your own blog which is an online journal with frequently updated posts to entertain and excite existing and potential customers. It’s more personal and immediate then a website and keeps people engaged and hopefully coming back for more. You can even create one for free at www.blogger.com.

3. Create an educational or promotional DVD movie of your business to increase sales and spread word-of-mouth. It’s not as expensive as you may think: www.paytribute.net cost effectively produces high-quality, personalized DVD movies for clients.

4. If you want to increase word-of-mouth fast, do something beyond normal industry expectations. For example, Mr. Lube offers fast and affordable tune-up service to customers right on the spot, without having to leave the car, while offering coffee, cappuccino, and a fresh newspaper.

5. Always ask happy clients for endorsements or testimonials and put them on your website and other marketing collateral. They’re worth their weight in gold. Try to get some recognizable names in your community for additional cachet.

6. Put a special offer or product advertorial on every invoice and statement you
send out. Likewise, you can also negotiate a deal with another company to advertise your product or service on all their invoices for a percentage of revenues from placed orders.

7. Make your business cards stand out and be natural keepers. Offer important
information on the back such as emergency phone numbers, a map, or special dates to remember. Have a slogan that offers a powerful benefit statement to your prospective customer.

8. Offer special bonus packages with your product or service offering. Get corporate sponsors to give away products as part of the bonus package in exchange for free exposure.

9. Align your business with a cause or charity. Give back to your community. Customers appreciate doing business with companies that are bettering their
communities and the environment and being good corporate citizens.

10. Post frequently in online message boards/forums relevant to your business or expertise. Include your signature and offer tips and valuable advice. Eventually you will begin gaining word-of-mouth exposure as a leader in your field. Posting messages with your company information also helps to increase your search engine rankings and drive traffic to your site.

[Excerpted with permission from Sharif Khan’s new ebooklet: 101 Ways to Market Your Business].

Sharif Khan is a professional speaker, writer, coach, and author of Psychology of the Hero Soul, an inspirational book on awakening the hero within and developing people’s leadership potential. For more information, visit www.herosoul.com or call (416) 417-1259.

Copyright © 2005 Sharif Khan

Publishing Guidelines: You may republish this article as is electronically or in print provided you leave the bylines in tact at the end, and make the Hero Soul web address clickable. Author notification is appreciated and if published in print a courtesy copy is requested. [Minor reformatting allowed to better display copy]





Leadership Training * Success Coaching * Meeting and Workshop Facilitation * Problem Solving * Entrepreneurship * Creativity * Ideas * Motivational Books * Reward and Recognition * Human Resources and Personal Development * Network Marketing Business Motivation* Performance and Achievement * Inspirational Keynotes * Leadership Lessons from the Hero Soul * Conferences and Events * Writing

Monday, May 16, 2005

Letter of Hope from Hospital Patient

Hospital patient undergoing surgery recounts how Hero Soul provided strength, inspiration, and hope during recovery


“I used to look in the mirror and only have time to take a quick glance to ensure that I looked acceptable for a full day ahead of me. At 32, I am a mother of two and a wife of 8 years. I work full time and after putting in a days worth of work, I come home to my next full time job. Dinner, clean up, soccer practice, dance class, homework, baths, laundry… I have a fully hands-on devoted husband that equally shares in the daily responsibilities but even then it is still so busy at times.

I recently ruptured my Achilles tendon. I needed to have surgery and knew that my recovery period would take several months. Anxious the morning before surgery I began reading, “Psychology of the Hero Soul.” It was given to me to read by a friend at work. I began reading the book and it had a calming affect on me. I knew I had to face my fears and deal with my reality. The night after surgery I had trouble sleeping so I continued to read “Psychology of the Hero Soul.” When I finished, it rejuvenated my outlook on life.

After reading this book I can now look in the mirror and see so much more of myself. I can surpass my physical “self” and look beyond to my mind, soul, and spirit. I have forgotten about my passions, ambitions, and the true person that I am. I have neglected what it is that I want to be remembered for in life and what I want to pass down to my children. I have learned that I need to enjoy the moment because life is passing by quickly. I also need to take the time to accomplish my goals in life and not say that I just don’t have time. I have to take actions to achieve my dreams.

I have learned that I need to maintain my soul and spirit by cleansing it from stresses, jealousies, and overall negative energy. Once the mind is cleansed it can be replenished with love, tranquility, passions, and dreams. With a positive outlook anything is possible.

I believe that “Psychology of the Hero Soul” is a well-written book that provided me with many examples of people whose extreme focus, determination and good virtues resulted in greatness. I was pleasantly surprised by the analysis of Perseus in the book. The Clash of the Titans has been one of my all time favorite movies as a child and Greek mythology has always fascinated me.

I have been so inspired to make myself a better person in every aspect of my life, as a mother, wife, co-worker, friend, daughter, and sister. During my recovery period this book has provided me with “food for thought,” tools to make my dreams a reality and enable me to keep a positive attitude during my healing process.”
- Krupali Prevete

Psychology of the Hero Soul is an inspirational book on awakening the Hero within and rekindling people's passion for greatness. It is based on author, Sharif Khan's ten years research to the field of human development and was recently mentioned in USA Today. The Hero Soul will be released in US bookstores early this fall and is currently available nationwide across Canada in Chapters, Indigo, Coles bookstores. To order, visit: http://www.herosoul.com

Psychology of the Hero Soul, by Sharif Khan, ISBN 0973192208, Diamond Mind Enterprises, 160 pages, $14.95 US, trade-paperback, Copyright © 2004, 2005, Self-help/Inspirational, distributed by Ingram, Baker & Taylor, and University of Toronto Press.

For more information on special quantity discounts call (416) 417-1259 or email: sharif@herosoul.com

Wednesday, May 11, 2005

The Power of Promise

I attended a seminar last night put on by Brian Klemmer, a world renowned organizational change expert and wanted to share some golden nuggets that I found particularly useful (Klemmer came across to me as a very whole, congruent person).

The fastest way to create change:

1. Intention
2. Risk
3. Promise

Summary:

1. When your INTENTION (goal, objective, deepest wish) is clear - a way appears. Get clear on your intention. Even though you may have conflicting intentions/desires, the Bigger intent always wins. Write down exactly and specifically what you want to have happen in 30 days.

2. Put yourself at RISK. Don't choose a ho-hum goal. Stretch yourself, but at the same time don't go in la-la land by picking something so ridicuolous that you know in your mind you have no real intent to accomplish. Put yourself at risk by getting out of your comfort zone and breaking your record. Klemmer relates comfort as a drug, 'comfort is cocaine.'

3. Make a PROMISE to people you care about and respect. Put yourself on the line. For example, a rather macho person could declare to peers: "I promise I will lose 10 pounds in the next 30 days. If I don't, I give you my word as a man, I will dress up as a ballerina at the next men's leadership group meeting!"


GET OUT OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE - NOW!!!


Regards,

Professional Speaker, Writer, Coach, and Author of, Psychology of the Hero Soul
An inspirational book on awakening the Hero within and developing your leadership potential
http://www.herosoul.com/
416.417.1259
“Sharif will inspire you to become a better leader and pursue excellence for life.”
– Chris Ridabock, President, J.J. Barnicke




Leadership Training * Success Coaching * Meeting and Workshop Facilitation * Problem Solving * Entrepreneurship * Creativity * Ideas * Motivational Books * Reward and Recognition * Human Resources and Personal Development * Network Marketing Business Motivation* Performance and Achievement * Inspirational Keynotes * Leadership Lessons from the Hero Soul * Conferences and Events * Writing