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SOPA And Protect IP: Free Internet At Risk

Welcome in 2012!

My first post this year will be a short one but nevertheless a very important one.

The Free Internet in the USA is at risk!


It is challenged by two proposed laws which basically will allow or even require censorship.

Stop Internet Censorship


While the intent of the legislation is noble, “Stop online piracy and copyright theft!” The means the law provides will do more harm than good. And not only in the USA. There will be some global collateral effects as well.

At least this is my personal take.

Some say, “This will break the Internet as we know it!”


Here is what I wrote in a private forum earlier today.

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Your Best Idea Might Be ... (One of Many Things)

Brand Catalyst and Verbal Designer Bernadette Jiwa is a Linchpin as Seth Godin has redefined the word almost two years ago.


Here is her piece of Art


The Idea Manifesto




A compelling piece of Art that is supposed to spread.
(And it can be spread rather easily.)

Let’s pick it up and share it.

That is what I am doing right now.

Pick up your free copy and help spread the word.


Yours
John W. Furst

New Legal Hurdles For Email And One Big Change

Pick One - Spam or not Spam

I came across two interesting articles on internet Retailer (↑) in my email inbox today . I thought I’ll share them with you. Let’s start with the not so good news.


New Email Laws in Canada in 2012


Canadian law makers create FISA -- Fighting Internet and Wireless Spam Act -- which will be in effect in 2012.

As long as you want to reach Canadian consumers or by Email you will need to adhere to this new law.

The law will apply if:
  • You want to reach Canadian consumers
  • You are using equipment (e.g. servers) inside Canadian borders.

It doesn’t matter where you are located or where you are sending your commercial emails from.

Most important implication: Opt-in first is a strict requirement!

You’ll need the permission from consumers before you may send commercial email to them. The usual opt-out method which many US-based businesses use today will be prohibited.

Read the full article: A new hurdle for e-mail (↑).

As usual the law will affect regular businesses only. Spammers don’t care.


The One Big Chance: The inbox Goes Mobile


It is a trend that people are connected to the Net and to their email inbox more often and on multiple places. You don’t need to wait till it’s raining and people stay at home at their desktop computer. They take their email everywhere, anytime.

That’s an opportunity, isn’t it.

But you need to be prepared for it. Do your commercial emails display nicely on those mobile devices with the tiny screens? If not, change that.

Thanks to the fact that most if not all social media and networking sites like Facebook, Twitter, and G+ as the latest star, connect to your email inbox to some extent. I.e. even the young generation knows what email is. It does not main that they like to consume email but email has one big advantage over the walls on Facebook or the Twitter and Google Plus streams.

It’s an archive, one can sort and use filters. It’s much easier to find a specific message in email than on social media


Read the full article: With consumers communicating on the move, e-mail must go mobile, … (↑)


Hope you like the tips. Let me know.

Yours
John W. Furst

Bye-Bye Chris Brogan And Company - Feature Request For Google+

Chris Brogan on Google+

Before we get started I want to put the title of this post into the proper perspective, right away.

No, I don’t have anything to hold against Chris Brogan (↑), not at all. He is a fine person! Otherwise I would not follow him on Twitter, in Google Reader, now in Google+, and probably elsewhere.

Unfortunately for him -- I hope his ego can cope with that -- he becomes my poster child for something he is not even responsible for himself. (Life can be tough, isn’t it.)

Chris posts a lot on Google+ (at least now) and his followers are eager to comment and share. The result is that he (as well as other heavy posters like Robert Scoble (↑), Trey Ratcliff (↑), … show up first almost every time when I look at my stream.

Don’t get me wrong, I follow them, because they usually have blurbs of value to share. Anything from entertaining to educating …

It’s just that I don’t want them right in my face all the time whenever I look at my stream.

When taking this screenshot above it just happened that Chris Brogan was up there twice in a row. It was not planned. Seriously. It could as well have been someone else. Sorry, Chris.

Robert Scoble has addressed the problem and has described how you can organize your circles to take your stream back into your possession. You can read Scoble's tips for newer users of Google+ (↑) (a post on Google+, I believe you can read it even without being signed up for G+). Note his point 2.b.

But wait a second! Your stream should not be hijacked in first place.

Isn’t that something the user interface is supposed to protect you from? That question might be a bit philosophical and we don’t need to address it here but why should you be foreced to arrange your circles in a certain way so that your stream remains usable?

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Sneaky Email Marketing Tips - 7 Universal Laws for the Email PS That Gets Prospects to Click (Now)

Email marketing is supposedly dead. I love it when I hear people say this, because it usually comes from one of the people that pound their list everyday with a the “latest greatest offer” for that day.

Email marketing should be dead for those folks because it gets old really quick. Think about it, if this is the latest greatest offer, does that mean that yesterday’s offer now stinks. And what about tomorrow’s offer? Etc. etc.

But, if you are taking really good care of your list community your emails will be welcomed. Here are a few ways to increase the open rate of your emails with strategic use of the PS.

Many people will scan down to the PS in an email, just like they do in a sales letter. So why not make yours powerful for pulling in prospects and profits.

For each tip, be sure to include in the PS the link you want your reader to click. (I know that sounds so obvious, but you should see what I see sometimes…


7 Universal Laws for the Email PS


The Law of the Recap - Since many people scan to the PS of an email for the bottom line, this is a good place to review what you have said in your email. Here’s a template: This is what I have for you, this is what it will do for you, this is what I want you to do next…

The Law of Scarcity - Remind your reader that their is a limit to what is offered in the email. For example: only 200 lines available for the call, just 17 slots left, only selling 20 more packages, etc.

The Law of Urgency - Best used when you want someone to act quickly. For example: Offer ends at midnight tonight, last chance to register, register before all the lines fill up, etc.

The Law of Colombo - Some of you will remember the great character Lieutenant Columbo, the detective in the rumpled overcoat, played by Peter Falk. He had a way of waiting until someone thought the conversation was over before driving home a point with “Just one more thing…” So an example for our purposes would be: “And, of by the way…”

The Law of Humor - You are allowed to have fun with this, ya know? Sometimes just to do something different, and spread a little good will, I’ll stick a short clean joke. Just Google “short clean jokes” to find ones you can use.

The Law of Oops - Related to the Law of Columbo, this is when you start your PS off with “Oh, I almost forgot…” and then add in something that will get them to click on the link you want.

The Law of Blank - This is a bit silly, but it’s fun and spreads goodwill. Since folks will almost always look at the PS, every now and then I’ll type in after the PS - “This PS left intentionally blank.” It’s funny because now it is no longer blank. I got this idea from the phone company that used to print that on a previously blank sheet of paper in the bill. I am not making this up.

And so now here’s a way to get many more great tips and tools on a regular basis, on my blog at http://JeffHerring.com

You’ll find leading edge tips and tools for Article Marketing, Content Creation, Traffic Generation, List Building, Online Visibility, Info Product Creation and so much more…

From Jeff Herring - The Article Marketing Guy.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jeff_Herring

Image source: “Revtank Outtakes” Copyright ©2010 by Mish Sukharev - Some rights reserved - CC-BY - modified by John W. Furst.



Google Adwords Guide 2011 Released by Perry Marshall

Google Adwords Training with Perry Marshall
Perry Marshall
Google AdWords Expert

HOT NEWS: As you can probably tell from the advertising that I have on my site and blog you see that I am a big fan of Internet Marketing Expert Perry Marshall.

Perry's Adwords course has saved me from “Adwords bankruptcy” a couple of years ago. Now, I just saw that Perry has released his new edition 2011.

Definitive Guide To Google Adwords 2011


  • 50% of the book rewritten.
  • The gap between Adwords winners and losers never has been that huge.
  • 6 brand new modules!
    From affiliate marketing, PPC marketing in the U.K. and Canada, … to the content network.
    Choose one or get two or even all modules at a discount price.
  • A must have for everybody working with Adwords.

3 Unstoppable Forces Will Either Propel You to Victory or Bury You on Page 2-3-4 of Google's Search Results.

You Either Win or Lose.
(Perry Marshall)



Check it out now!



All backed up with Perry's crazy guarantee. Watch the video as he explains everything you must know.

You also could sign up for Perry's 5 Day Google Adwords Course by Email.

Yours
John W Furst
John W. Furst

P.S.: Perry writes much better copy than I do, therefore, I save you from having to bear with me and urge you to go over to his site and read what he has to say about Google Adwords in 2009/2010 and why you need to get his book.

Actually you don't even need to read everything.

Play his video, listen, and then get your copy of his book for as little as $49.