Tyler Tervooren and I were walking along the street toward my rental car to head out and grab the best chicken wings in town for lunch at South by Southwest.

Tyler decided to stay in a hostel directly across the river from the Austin Convention Center. And although he took the bus from the hostel to the convention center every day, he told me he envisioned renting a kayak and simply kayaking across the river. “It’s a straight shot,” he said.

While Tyler saw kayaking across the river as an interesting story, I saw it as an example of something else: something I’ve recently been completely fascinated by. I call it the 100% verbal opt-in, and I’ve lately become obsessed with documenting this phenomenon.

While “opting in” in web lingo means having a person give you their email address to subscribe to your list, I consider a verbal opt-in to be when you pique someone’s interest enough with just one or two sentences that you get them to ask, “What do you mean?” or “Tell me more.” That acknowledgement is their way of “opting in” to your story.

Not only did I become fascinated by the introductions that made people verbally opt-in 100% of the time, I started noting them when I came across them. As we walked down the street, I explained verbal opt-ins to Tyler, and mentioned that his kayak story was a shining example of a 100% verbal opt-in. After hearing that he came to South by Southwest in a kayak, it would be hard to resist saying “A kayak?” or “What do you mean?”

Pattern Interrupts: The Key to Being Memorable

If you have studied NLP (neuro-linguistic programming), you will recognize this as an example of a pattern interrupt. That is, when people meet you, they expect you to say certain things. “Hi, I’m Tyler, and I’m a blogger,” is what they’d expect–it’s all about who you are and what you’re doing. (At least in America, we’re obsessed with the “What do you do?” question–and defining ourselves by our work.) But you can pattern interrupt easily by coming up with a creative story instead.

“Hi, I’m Tyler, and I came to South by Southwest in a kayak,” will not only pique their curiosity enough to get you the verbal opt-in, but it will make you instantly memorable. Here, in a room full of web designers, real estate agents, and social media douchebags, er, “experts”, you are unique. Different. Interesting.

If you hone your pitch to the point where you can get 100% verbal opt-in, you will find yourself quickly becoming, well, famous.

You see, however, there is a catch to all of this, and it’s why many of those other people who read this article will not attempt such a feat. Going for the 100% verbal opt-in means being different. It means having unique stories to tell, and it means living your life in a way that’s slightly off from the norm.

The Courage to Be Different

If you live your life as an insurance agent, for instance, it may require not only taking a vacation to a country most people would never visit, but actually re-crafting your story, so that when you introduce yourself, you’re no longer Bob the insurance agent, but Bob the guy who went to India and climbed the Himalayas in search of a mythical healer who lived in the mountains. (If you leave the story there, you’ve opened a loop that most people will find irresistible to ask you to close. “Well, did you find the healer? What happened?” 100% verbal opt-in. Like magic.)

If you go for the 100% verbal opt-in, it doesn’t matter what you sell or who you are in your day job. You will find that people naturally gravitate toward you, that people are constantly coming up to you and saying “Have we met before?” or “You look familiar.” In a sea of sameness, you will stand out. And, not surprisingly, you will have less effort selling whatever it is that you hawk in your business–even if it’s in a commodity market.

Creating a 7-Figure Business in Mere Months

I have consulted for so many people who are scared of commodity markets. When I started Whoosh Traffic, for instance, people seemed surprised that I was starting an SEO company. “Isn’t SEO dead?” they asked me. Au contraire…SEO is a thriving market with businesses willing to spend a lot of money on it.

Before I started Whoosh Traffic, I engaged other SEO services to see what gaps the market had. I found two major gaps. One, the market was full of individuals, often from other countries, who built links to your site and then sent you a list of the links they had built. These services were generally effective, but unwieldy. You had to pay the people via Paypal, usually weekly. You had to double-check all their work and ensure they weren’t building links on the same site over and over again, and confirm that all the links they built actually were linking to your site. They were inexpensive, but exasperating–managing them required a lot of work on your part.

The second gap was more interesting. We found quickly when we launched Whoosh Traffic that many of our customers didn’t know exactly which keywords to optimize for. We quickly adjusted and started offering a free 30-minute “keyword consult” to all of our new customers. In this consult, I personally walk through keyword analysis, showing our customers how to do their own analysis, what keywords they should go for, breaking down how their competition is doing SEO, and even how to redo their website to rank better in the search engines.

This analysis has proven immensely popular, and it’s also helped us gain feedback about the Whoosh Traffic website and user interface. We’re now working with a designer to redo our website to better address popular customer questions.

What Your Competition Can’t Do

This high-touch method is one thing most of our cheaper competition will never do, and it’s why I’ve been so insistent and vocal about doing these consultations myself, even though they can take up to 10 hours a week of my time. Yes, they could be easily outsourced, but I gain so much valuable insight into how our customers work that I’ve been happy and grateful to perform them.

There’s nothing more valuable for a business owner than talking to customers and understanding why they chose you (and why they almost didn’t choose you!) It’s that high-touch difference that allows you to grow a company quickly in any market. It’s exactly what I brought to the hosting industry. And it is why I am pleased to announce that after being open for only 5 months, Whoosh Traffic will hit 5 figures of revenue this month, and will be well into 6 figures of revenue in its first year. That’s with no outside investors and very little capital invested.

Whoosh Traffic could very well be a 7-figure business within 2 years of its opening. It has the potential to be a far larger company than my hosting company. (My hosting company didn’t hit 6 figures of annual revenue until the end of its third year!)

We’ve grown Whoosh Traffic so fast with no marketing so far…all that growth is from people who read this blog. I am extraordinarily grateful for my amazing community and how so many of you have chosen to engage our services…and I am amazed when I look back and realized that it all started with one story that made so many of you ask, “How did you do that?” or “Tell me more.”

That’s the power of being memorable.

Want to get started making money online? On Monday night, I’m co-hosting an online workshop with Chris Guthrie. Chris has generated over $1,000,000 in Amazon product sales, netting him about $90,000 a year, all from websites that you can set up too (no geekery required!) The online workshop is 100% free, and will show you exactly how to get started. You must sign up to attend: Sign up here now! Don’t miss this free workshop.

Recommended Reading:

• The One Thing Successful Entrepreneurs Do Differently. One huge mistake that many beginning entrepreneurs make could mean the difference between success and failure…
• How to Read People’s Minds (And Then Create the Product They Most Desire) Two methods by which you can (almost) read your potential customers’ minds.
• How Do All Those “Idiots” Make So Much Money? Does it drive you nuts that some idiot with a terrible product seems to be constantly making sales, when you know your product is better? What’s the difference between you and that “idiot”?

My new RV!

In case you haven’t heard of minimalism, it’s a movement whereby you live with fewer material possessions in favor of spending your income on experiences. I’ve Tweeted often lately about downsizing the house that I live in and getting rid of much of my stuff, and I’ve been asked several times if I consider myself a minimalist. This blog post is where I answer that question once and for all.

Here’s what has been going on in my life lately. In November, Richard and I broke up. He moved out, and I didn’t want a 2400 square-foot house (and its correspondingly huge rent payment) all to myself, so I decided to move. I picked a 1550 square-foot house with a rent payment that’s affordable to me. It’s a three-bedroom house over near San Diego State, and I love it.

A few days ago, for instance, I went out and chatted with a neighbor, then walked to the grocery store, bought some food, walked to the bank, withdrew some cash, and walked home. I love the freedom of being able to easily walk to the places I need, and I’m putting a lot fewer miles on my car. Many of my neighbors have lived here for years, and though this neighborhood is within easy walking distance of stores, restaurants, bars, and even a used bookstore, it’s a quiet, peaceful community.

I live on a street that gets far more foot traffic than car traffic, and my office overlooks the street. People walk around and casually chat with each other right outside my window.

This is, honestly, the neighborhood I’ve always dreamed of living in–somewhat urban, middle class, conservative, with friendly neighbors who know each other and little car traffic.

On Giving Up Stuff

To downsize from 2400 square feet to 1550 square feet required me to make some tough decisions. I got rid of two whole rooms of stuff. Most of it I simply gave away on craigslist for free, and though I’d had some of it for years, for the most part I gave it up easily.

I find the biggest “sting” with giving up stuff is in the first 24 hours, when you see the empty hole where your stuff once lived. That’s why moving (especially if you’re downsizing) is a great time to get rid of all your stuff–because you’ll be so busy rearranging the stuff you have left that you won’t notice the holes, and by the time you do think about it, the emotional sting will be gone.

I’m frugal when it comes to purchases, but when I do purchase something, I typically go for the nice variety of whatever it is and haggle the price down. My most recent big purchase was a huge decision that had been years in the making–a Class A RV!

My “new” RV–a 2002 Hurricane class A (by Four Winds.)

This is the second RV I’ve owned, and it’s much nicer than my first one. My first RV was a 1978 class C that I bought a few years ago for Burning Man. Richard and I fixed it up pretty nicely; unfortunately, the engine blew on the way home from Burning Man, and that was that–almost $5,000 down the drain.

This time, I wanted to do it right. Since my last RV died, I’d had numerous conversations with RV techs and other RV owners, and I’d come to the conclusion that I never wanted a class C RV again. (Here’s a primer to the three classes of RVs.) Class C’s are the most common, but their engines are woefully underpowered.

I had originally decided I wanted a class B (van style); however, the class B’s I was looking at ran $40,000 or more. That was a problem; at $40,000, I wasn’t comfortable paying all cash, so I would have to finance. I preferred to pay cash.

I went to a local RV center and looked at the RVs there. The owner of the RV center took on RVs on consignment–in other words, he sold RVs for the owners and took a percentage of the sale. They had quite a selection.

As was to be expected, they had mostly class Cs. I inquired about the class B that I had originally looked at, but was told it had been sold the day before. I decided to look around the lot, and when I saw the 2002 Hurricane class A, I assumed it would be at least $30,000, as well.

My RV’s interior (facing front).

My RV’s interior (facing back).

Imagine my surprise when the owner of the lot told me it was under $20,000! My first thought was, “I can pay cash for this one!”

I test-drove it and realized it would be perfect. It’s in excellent condition. The class A style and V10 engine mean it will hold up better over the years than most class Cs. It’s 31 feet long, which is a lot longer than I really needed, but the price sealed the deal for me.

I’m now in Las Vegas in my RV, on my first trip out with it, and I love it. I brought my desktop computer on the trip so I could use my big monitor…which was definitely the right choice. I am using my Mifi for Internet access. I’m parked in an RV park in Las Vegas at night ($16/night!)

There are a couple things I don’t like about the RV. The major one: it only gets 6.3 miles per gallon. I filled up here in Las Vegas and it was $131! And I still had a quarter tank left when I filled it up.

There are some upgrades I need to do (I am in desperate need of a new mattress) and some that would be nice to have (subwoofer; solar panels.) But all in all, I definitely see myself traveling in it a lot.

Living in an RV, even for a short time period, really helps you understand what you need and what you don’t need. What I’ve discovered is that, through my move and my subsequent house purging, I’m comfortable with my level of Stuff right now. Being in the RV, I don’t miss the Stuff at my house, but nor do I dread coming back and facing the Stuff that is there. Your house shouldn’t make you feel overwhelmed or stressed–but I don’t feel my house does.

So, I’m definitely not a minimalist. I do own two couches, a pinball machine, a big screen TV, and an RV. But I do tend to spend more of my disposable income on experiences, and I am a conscious spender…I don’t buy things that won’t add to my overall happiness.

Now, let’s talk about the RV! I’ll be going on a cross-country trip later this year around the U.S. I’ve tentatively set it for August. I will be announcing here on this blog when and where I’ll be. Once I announce it, I’ll post some meetup times and dates so you can come out and meet me as well as other erica.biz readers! (Please don’t email me with meetup requests for my cross-country trip until then–I won’t be able to keep track of them all.)

I’m really excited about my upcoming trip. Stay tuned to this blog and you’ll be the first to know where I’m going and when!

Recommended Reading:

• Welcoming the Maximalist Movement. by Tyler Tervooren. I have a giant blog crush on Tyler. He writes great posts. This one is his take on minimalism. He doesn’t see himself as a minimalist, either. Read this one!
• True Visionaries Think Backwards. I wrote this post after my last RV died in 2007. Definitely a must-read if you haven’t dug that far back in my archives.

Let me explain. You see, I go to a lot of networking events…and I meet a whole lot of people. Unfortunately, 99% of those people are completely forgettable. That’s a problem, because when you go to a networking event, you really want it to be profitable for you. But how can it be profitable when no one remembers who you are and what you do?

The 30-second “elevator pitch” is an art. It’s designed to get people to ask you more information about your business or about you. It’s designed for you to quickly be able to whittle down the room into potential customers and everyone else, and focus your energy on scoring a customer or two–thus making your time spent at the networking event insanely profitable.

Here’s a quick peek into the art of crafting your 30-second pitch and quickly turning yourself into one of the most memorable people in the room.

Rule #1: Never Start with “I”.

Here’s a trade secret that many public speakers use: Never open with “I”. This especially applies if you go to an event where the organizer asks everyone to stand up and introduce themselves. Let’s face it, after 20 people mumbling about their businesses, the room is half asleep. Your mission? To snap them out of their trances and get them listening.

When introducing yourself to a group of more than 10 people, especially if you’re not the first person to do an introduction, always start with a question. Your goal is twofold: 1) Get people to pay attention. 2) Quickly figure out who your potential customers are.

To pull this off, you have to know some of the deepest desires of your potential customers. (Hint: Their deepest desire isn’t to get life coaching. So scratch out “Who’s interested in being coached?” as a question!)

I start out with a simple question: “How many of you are interested in getting more traffic to your website?” And then–as a cue–I raise my right hand and look closely at everyone else in the room.

You’ll notice some reactions when you do this. Some people will grin and raise their hands. Others will slowly raise their hands as they come out of their trance. Others, already lost to their Blackberry addictions, will not be paying attention to you.

Then comes the fun part: Ask a second question–an analog to the first. If I spot someone on a Blackberry, for instance, I may say this: “Okay, how many of you are NOT interested in getting traffic to their website?” Some smart alecks may raise their hands. (That’s a win! You’ve identified people who aren’t potential customers.) As I ask it–and raise my hand on cue again–I’ll stare hard at the Crackberry addict. This has the effect of turning the whole audience on him.

Guess what? 99% of the time, the Blackberry goes in his pocket and he looks up sheepishly. Congratulations! You now have the rapt attention of the entire room.

Rule #2: The Three “Must-Have” Elements of Your Pitch

Your 30-second pitch needs to contain these elements:

1. Compelling value
2. Social proof
3. A call to action

Sounds kind of like writing a sales letter, doesn’t it? I concede that 30-second pitches may be even more difficult. You have to quickly identify your business’s most compelling value proposition and present it.

Here’s my pitch (remember, this is after you’ve asked the first question and then the second, opposite question):

“Great! Thank you. My name is Erica Douglass and I run a popular business blog. I also run a service called Whoosh Traffic that helps you get more traffic to your website. I started Whoosh Traffic after using my own service to rank my blog #1 in Google for the keyphrase how to make money blogging. If you would like to get more traffic to your website, please come find me. I’m happy to talk to you more about it!”

Now, I’ll show it to you again, with the social proof highlighted in red and the call to action highlighted in blue:

“Great! Thank you. My name is Erica Douglass and I run a popular business blog. I also run a service called Whoosh Traffic that helps you get more traffic to your website. I started this business after using my own service to rank my blog #1 in Google for the keyphrase how to make money blogging. If you would like to get more traffic to your website, please come find me. I’m happy to talk to you more about it!”

Rule #3: Hone Your Pitch by Watching Audience Reactions

As I say my pitch, I watch the audience. I’m looking for a reaction–and I’m most interested in surprise reactions, as they mean the person is listening and is more likely to remember me.

The best reaction is when someone asks “How did you do that?”, “How does that work?” or “Can you do that for me?” That’s the verbal equivalent of an opt-in. If you give a 30-second pitch and people come up to you afterward, you have achieved the desired effect.

Quality matters more than quantity. If your best customers are hairdressers who are working part-time and want to work full-time, say that! Don’t be afraid to narrow down a room of 50+ people to just one potential customer…especially if you offer a high-value service.

I’ve tweaked several elements of my pitch. I tested several different versions of the social proof element (different keywords I rank well for with my blog) before settling on showing that I’m ranked #1 for how to make money blogging. The most common reaction I get is “Wow! That’s a popular keyword!” I’ve actually used Whoosh Traffic to rank well for keywords with more search volume, but this keyword is more well-recognized and gets a better reaction when I say it.

I also changed “a blog about starting and growing your own business” to “a popular business blog” recently. The word “popular” generates more interest.

A key of changing your elevator pitch is watching people’s facial expressions carefully as you speak it. With practice, you will learn to tell exactly which words or phrases tune them out. Practice every word of your pitch, and tweak constantly. Try new things. You have very little to lose and a whole lot to gain.

By designing your elevator pitch first with two questions, then using the three elements above, you will be far more memorable. In fact, I went to three marketing/business conferences recently, and at each of the three conferences I had someone follow up with me asking about Whoosh Traffic. (Imagine–not even having to follow up with 50 people after the event who ask you, “Who are you, again?”)

In each case, we signed a new customer–effortlessly! All three customers are “heavy hitters”, too; in fact, those three customers alone plus their referrals may mean $8,000/month or more of income for Whoosh Traffic.

That’s the power of a great pitch. Please–use my template. It works for me; it will work for just about anyone. It will definitely make your next networking event a lot more exciting…and profitable!

Want to drive more traffic to your site? Check out Whoosh Traffic, and feel free to email me (erica AT erica dot biz) if you’re interested in using our service and have a question.

Recommended Reading:

• How to Read a Person Like a Book. I don’t have any natural ability to read facial cues, and used to find it difficult to understand what people were communicating with body language. This book turned it into a system for me and made understanding people a lot easier. If you’re a “systems thinker” like me and have a hard time reading people, pick this book up. It will be well worth it.
• Are Your Business Cards Still Stuck In The 1990′s? Your business cards need to be more memorable, too. Here’s how I changed mine so I get a lot more followups.
• How I Tripled My Blog’s Traffic in Two Months. This is a great post from early 2008, when I was just getting started with my blog. In it, I show how I jump-started my blog’s popularity.

Don’t enjoy cleaning your house, cooking,
or mowing your lawn? How to outsource
boring jobs in five easy steps.

My Story

I’m a lazy cook. Anything that takes longer than 15 minutes is longer than my attention span. So I end up cooking a lot of hot dogs and macaroni and cheese.

Since I was recently diagnosed with Celiac disease, I can no longer eat out at many restaurants.

I needed a solution.

Step 1: Decide What You Want to Outsource

My first thought was to research recipes online. After reading a few of them, I quickly realized cooking could become my second full-time job. Gluten-free cooking requires understanding a myriad of various flours–and which flour works best for which purpose.

Around that time, I was reading the new expanded version of The Four-Hour Work Week. Tim Ferriss added tons of case studies to it, and one of them was about a guy who was looking for an Indian vegetarian cook and posted about it on craigslist.

That hit me like a lightning bolt. I realized my dilemma–either eat a bunch of hot dogs and Chipotle or take on a new “job” of cooking–had a third option: Hire someone.

Step 2: Push Through Your Fears

Immediately, I was beset by fears. Would this be ridiculously expensive? Would I be able to find someone who knew how to cook gluten-free food? Would I find someone who cooked terrible food that I hated or that made me sick? Would they need to use my kitchen for hours on end?

The questions didn’t stop, but I realized that, like my business fears, I would simply have to push through them and try it out.

Whenever I get paralyzed by fear, I like to play this game called “What’s the worst that could happen?” I imagine the most outrageous scenario possible. I often do this before public speaking. Feel free to make it totally insane. Here’s one from public speaking: “I go up on stage, and aliens abduct the audience. Then an earthquake hits. Then I’m suddenly transported back in time to the Ice Age…”

Once you start laughing, your fears are usually gone. Whatever it is, it can’t be as bad as your crazy imagination makes it out to be.

I applied this technique to hiring a cook. “She charges $500 an hour, and claims she knows how to cook gluten-free, but then uses flour in everything…she makes the worst food imaginable…” (And then I started imagining food that looked terrible and tasted even worse.)

Step 3: Post the Ad

I needn’t have worried. My craigslist posting (below) generated 14 responses within the first day; the vast majority of the responders mentioned that they were gluten-free themselves!

My craigslist post. Within a week, I had hired my chef!

The prices were all over the place. I mentioned I wanted to pay hourly, but some of the more professional chefs wanted to charge per meal. That could get expensive quickly! I pretty much instantly ruled the pros out–I’ve learned that those at the top of their game probably aren’t the best to hire for this type of task, anyway.

Step 4: Follow Up With Questions and Do a Test Run

I responded to several emails with followup questions. The woman I ended up hiring has a day job and is also gluten-free in her daily life. She was looking for a way to earn extra cash on the side.

I decided to give her a test. If it worked out, I’d hire her. She agreed to the challenge, and I had her make some time-consuming gluten-free cinnamon rolls. I reimbursed her for the ingredients. The cinnamon rolls turned out great–and Richard and I spent a day gorging ourselves on them!

After I ate the cinnamon rolls, I hired her. Yum!

Step 5: Hire, and Make the Details Clear

Here’s how our arrangement works: I pay her $10/hour, plus reimbursements for food with provided receipt. That hourly rate includes time shopping and driving the food to my house.

Since her kitchen is gluten-free, she cooks at her own house every Sunday and Wednesday and brings food over. She lives close by–about 10-15 minutes from me. We coordinate menus via email. Richard and I read gluten-free blogs and cookbooks and send her recipes.

My total spent is about $300 a month (plus food costs), and for all that I get fantastic meals that would have cost us a lot more were we to eat them in a restaurant.

Am I paying a little more than I would have to make food myself? Yes.
Am I eating better, higher-quality food? Heck, yes!

Here I am enjoying some of the fruits of my chef’s labor–gluten-free shrimp scampi!

My Rule of Thumb

There’s no rule that says you have to do everything around your house–especially if you don’t particularly enjoy a certain task. If you don’t like cleaning, mowing your yard, doing taxes, or cooking, hire someone else to do it.

Here’s my rule of thumb: If it stays on my to-do list for longer than two weeks, it’s time to hire someone else to do it.

“But I Can’t Afford It!”

If you think you can’t afford it, do a budget. See exactly what you’re spending money on every month. Then take $200 of those expenses and get rid of them, and use that money to hire someone. Cell phone plans, car insurance, your cable bill, and miscellaneous junk (like, oh, stopping at the convenience store after work) are all easy targets.

You can also do a few hours of side work. Typically, you will be able to bill your skills out at a higher rate than you’ll pay someone to work on your house. I really enjoy giving advice over the phone, for instance. So one alternative would be for me to do an hour of consulting a month and bill it at $500. If I can confidently deliver at least $500 of value to the person on the other end during our hour, it will be well worth it for both of us. Even if your hourly rate is lower, it’s probably still higher than $10-$12.

I live in one of the most expensive areas of the United States (N. County San Diego), so you may be able to find a chef for even less than I did!

Life is too short to do boring chores you hate because you’re afraid to hire someone else. Do your homework (and trust your gut instinct if it says to not hire a certain person) and find the right people. Spend your time doing things you love instead. You won’t regret your decision!

Recommended Reading:

• The Expanded Version of The Four-Hour Work Week. I already had the former version of this book, but the new version includes 100+ additional pages of case studies. The information on hiring a chef alone made this book well worth the purchase price.

Review: Ramit Sethi’s I Will Teach You To Be Rich
Boot Camp.

I’m excited to help my friend Ramit Sethi in his quest to help you take back control of your financial future.

This video explains everything, but the story is also below for you…

My Story

In 2007, I nearly bankrupted my business because I didn’t keep track of my finances. I didn’t hire an accountant or financial planner because I “couldn’t afford it”. Little did I know that my business had far more money going out than coming in.

I always thought the numbers would work themselves out. I was smart; I read a ton of business books every month, and my business was growing like gangbusters. What was there to worry about?

It took our landlord locking us out of the building and me having to lay off most of my 6-person staff for me to hit bottom and realize what a terrible mistake I had made.

My lack of financial planning devastated not only my life, but the lives of others whose families depended on me for their well-being. That day, I made a critical decision: I set in motion a plan to take action and get my business and personal finances straightened out.

I didn’t like what I found. Between my business and personal debt, I owed over $160,000.00 to various creditors. I was sick to my stomach when I finally added it all up.

From $160,000 in Debt to Debt-Free

I am pleased to say I came out of it. Today, I am debt-free and proud of it; I save 55% of my monthly income, and I know exactly what I spend money on every month. I am free to make wise choices because I know what’s important and what matters to me.

In 2008, I ran a personal finance conference in San Francisco. My goal was to show the attendees what had happened to me and to give them the tools they needed to move forward and be successful.

My keynote speaker was Ramit Sethi, owner of the popular I Will Teach You To Be Rich blog. Ramit blew the audience away with tactical tips on how to “negotiate like an Indian”, save money, spend wisely, and invest for retirement.

Ramit is a friend of mine, and he has personally helped me with much of my financial life. Thanks to Ramit, I have a better credit card that pays me more rewards, I am in control of my spending, and I have automated many of my monthly bills so I no longer have to worry about money.

Now, Ramit is taking a select few of you by the hand and guiding you through his personal system to get your financial life on track. In just six short weeks, you will learn how to save for retirement (and start funding a retirement plan), how to earn more (whether you are an entrepreneur or you have a job), and how to save and invest your money wisely so you are in complete control.

Ramit’s 6-week bootcamp will get you out of the joy-fear-guilt cycle…where you spend money and buy something nice (joy!), only to fear the credit card bill, and feel guilty when it arrives.

Is It Worth the Investment?

From the bottom of my heart, I believe it is worth it for you to invest in Ramit’s program and get your financial life back on track. Not only does Ramit guarantee that you will save more than your investment in the program, but it’s a unique opportunity to set your life on the right path.

Your age and income don’t matter. Young or old; struggling to get by or with a ton of money…you’re not alone. If you don’t know what’s going in and coming out of your wallet every month…if you haven’t signed up for a Roth IRA or 401(k) yet…if you have big goals (like buying a house or retiring early) but you’re not sure if you’re on track to meet them…this is your chance to interact personally with one of the gurus of personal finance.

Who Would NOT Benefit from Ramit’s Boot Camp?

My policy is to be totally honest, so: this isn’t for everyone. If you’re already sporting a fully-funded Roth IRA and 401(k), kickin’ it with multiple ING Direct subaccounts for your savings goals, and you’re totally debt-free and on your way with flying colors to early retirement…well, this probably wouldn’t be of much benefit to you.

If, on the other hand, you just read that and said “Yeah, right! Who even does that?” well, then may I humbly suggest — Ramit’s program just might be right for you.

Have the Courage to Invest in Yourself

“But, Erica,” I can hear you saying. “The holidays are coming up. I’m cash-strapped as it is. And this boot camp costs money. There’s just no way I can do this.”

My response: Have the courage to say “Yes.” This is an investment in yourself and your education. (Compared to a college education, it’s a huge bargain!)

Close your eyes and imagine for a minute that, this time next year, you have:

1. A fully-funded retirement account.
2. A savings account set aside just for holiday gifts to others, so you can afford to give them gifts without the worry in the back of your head of the mounting bills.
3. An account set up (with money in it!) for a goal you have in the future — whether that goal is buying a house, taking that vacation you’ve always dreamed of, or starting a new business.

Now compare that to your current reality. Kind of hurts, doesn’t it?

If you desire all of this, but don’t know how to get there…Ramit’s boot camp is for you. No matter how many books you read, it won’t matter. The hundreds of business books I read didn’t save me from having to go into that conference room and lay off most of my staff.

Stop Doing the Same Thing and Expecting a Change…

Don’t wait. If you wait, your situation won’t change, and next year at this time, you’ll be no better off financially than where you are today. (And, as I can attest, it doesn’t matter how much income you make…if you spend more than you make, you’re still going to be in the same situation.)

An average college extension course runs $400-$500, and doesn’t even help you save any money. (You also typically have to take 2-3 of them to even accomplish anything!) On the other hand, Ramit’s program is tactical, strategic, and designed to help you take action now. Think about it: if you save just $25/month, you will pay back your investment in his program in just a few months!

Sign up for Ramit’s 6-week boot camp today. It’s a rare chance to interact personally with someone who really knows his stuff when it comes to personal finance. Your investment of $199 is an investment in yourself and your future. Have the courage to say yes to your goals.

For more information or to sign up, click here:

Breakdown of Exactly What’s In Ramit’s Boot Camp

Week 1 – Unearth secret credit card hacks. Find better credit cards and negotiate with your credit card companies. Get perks from free airline flights to free hotel stays with “secret” credit card hacks you aren’t currently using. Get a plan in place to pay off your credit card debt once and for all!

Week 2 – Stick it to the big banks. Negotiate fees and get rid of them with step-by-step scripts. Use the support of Ramit’s community to switch banks if necessary.

Week 3 – Retire early and happy. Why your friends haven’t invested; how to become rich on $100/month; how to legally evade taxes!

Week 4 – Spend guilt-free on the things you love. How to get out of the joy-fear-guilt cycle of debt spending. How to spend money on what you love and cut back on everything else.

Week 5 – Automate your way to freedom. Spend just a few hours a month managing your money, and stop letting it manage you. Special techniques for those who are freelancing, self-employed, or who have irregular income!

Week 6 – Invest like a pro without taking the risks. How to automate your investing so your money works for you. The top ten mistakes people make when investing — are you making one of these? Running the numbers on investment strategies (with Ramit’s help!)

Plus — Guest speakers will be demonstrating personal finance tactics, entrepreneurship, and career paths.

You will also gain exclusive access to a community of like-minded folks who can help you if you’re struggling or support you when you need it. If you have people in your life who aren’t fully supportive of your goals, you’ll find Ramit’s community to be invaluable!

How Others Have Used Ramit’s Tips to Make and Save Money

Jason Demant saved $50,000 in 2 years and is now taking a 1-year vacation…

“The reason I’m writing is to thank you for your help in automating my money, getting my 401K properly allocated, and pushing me to sell my crap to make some cash. Using your step-by-step instructions and advice, my girlfriend and I have been able to save over $50,000 the past couple of years and now, in a couple weeks, we will be quitting our Silicon Valley jobs and traveling around Asia on an extremely extended vacation (1-year minimum)! I’ve been reading your site for a few years now and I’ve never properly thanked you for the help, so I decided it was time. Thank you!”

Josh G has saved $14,000 in a few months…

“I have saved 14k so far since I started May 2008 and I’m on track for 20k by the end of the year!

Fear kept me from automating my savings previously. I had bills and it seems that was all I thought about every month.

Ramit mentioned using ING Direct to create sub accounts. I decided to try the full automated savings because I could do sub accounts for future purposes.”

For more information, or to sign up, click here…

Special — Just for My Readers!

If you sign up through any of the links on my blog (you have to sign up through me to get your exclusive invitation), forward me your receipt to erica@erica.biz and I will invite you to a free 1-hour group conference call where I will answer all of your questions regarding personal finance and entrepreneurship.

Here are some questions you should ask me:

• What are some great business ideas that I can start right away?
• Should I start a blog?
• What’s the best way to make money on the Internet?
• How should I market my business online?
• How can I utilize Twitter and Facebook to grow my business?
• What are the top strategies to get more customers for my business right now?
• How can I make some extra money if I only have a couple hours of free time a day?
• How do I make my income more “passive” and stop trading hours for dollars?

Pretty much anything related to personal finance or business is fair game.

This is only when you buy Ramit’s product through my link.

For more information or to sign up, click here.

If you have any questions that aren’t answered by this link, feel free to contact me and I will reply.

I believe in you and want you to achieve your goals. However, I know from experience that you can’t achieve your goals unless you have your finances in order. Give yourself permission and have the courage to invest in yourself, and watch your life change as a result. Sign up for Ramit’s boot camp today!

Note: This program is time-sensitive, so you must sign up by Friday, November 6. If you miss your chance this time, Ramit will offer it again, BUT the price will double…so don’t miss your chance!

Ramit is offering a 100% money-back guarantee for 30 days, so if this program somehow isn’t effective for you, you can request a full refund. You really have nothing to lose (and everything to gain, including meeting your financial goals!) by joining.

I do get some money for referring you to Ramit’s program. Ramit is a friend of mine and I have full faith and confidence in his ability to deliver. I look forward to hearing your success story!

My Past Week

I haven’t had the easiest time of things lately. Several financial irritations hit all at once, causing me to have to dip into my savings account (some call it an “emergency fund”, but I have a distaste for that name.) I was angry not only about having to resort to my savings account, but about the circumstances that caused it. I felt like a failure; worthless. Emotions welled up inside me, and though I’ve had an acupuncture treatment and a massage, I can still feel the emotions causing tension in my body.

Being frustrated about money rolled over into several other areas of my life, and today was yet another rough day, with Richard being frustrated about me not wanting to spend money to hire someone to do handyman chores. This resurfaced the failure feelings in my head and caused a downward spiral.

I was unable to concentrate on my tasks at hand. My intention for today was to create some new videos, but my feelings of failure stopped me. Angry at myself for not being able to overcome my emotions, I finally hopped in the car and started driving.

As I was driving, I remembered something that had calmed me down from bad emotional spots in the past. I’m not sure where I picked this up, but it really works, and it’s darned simple.

The “Gratitude Countdown”

Here it is: Say out loud ten things you are grateful for.

This “gratitude countdown” works best when you are by yourself, so if you live with someone else, I recommend that you go out driving or walking to do this.

At first, you may have trouble thinking of any. You can start out with simple ones: I am grateful to be able to breathe freely. I am grateful I have food. I am grateful to have a place to live. I am grateful for the tree in my back yard that provides shade on hot, sunny days.

Count each one down. (I say the numbers out loud to help me keep track.) At some point (it usually hits me around #4), you’ll start to feel your emotions come out. Let them out! Release them. Get rid of them.

Later in the sequence, after you’ve released some emotions, you can start healing some of the wounds. Today, I posted an ad on craigslist for people to come pick up our old moving boxes. “Bring a truck, SUV, or large car,” I wrote. “Must take ALL the boxes.” Well, who shows up but a young couple in a tiny Ford Focus. They start packing the boxes in, but of course they can only take about half of them. I come outside to find they’ve picked only the best boxes, leaving the rest sitting on the driveway!

I wasn’t happy about it, but there wasn’t much I could do. So, as part of my gratitude countdown, I forgave them. I said I was grateful that I had been able to help them out by giving them free moving boxes, and that they were forgiven for only taking some of the boxes. Now someone else deserving can come pick up the rest, or we can save them for our next move. I don’t need to hold any anger about them. I can just release it and move on.

By the time you get to the end of your gratitude countdown, you will feel completely different. It probably won’t be perfect, but you will feel like you’re on the right track again.

Your Results

Some of the other things I am grateful for today: An Internet marketer who lives here in San Diego recently inviting me to his mastermind group; Erica O’Grady helping to keep me accountable in my own goals with weekly checkups; Ramit Sethi encouraging me to get stuff done; Srini Saripalli, whose conference I recently spoke at and who is now a friend and business partner.

There are lots of good things happening in your life right now. Sometimes, they just tend to get overshadowed by the drama. What are the ten things you are most grateful for? (Feel free to post them here as a comment if you wish.)

Try this now, and then try it again next time you are feeling down. Heck, try it every day for 30 days. Let me know how it works out for you!

Update: I wrote this post on Saturday night. After doing a gratitude countdown, I overcame some mental hurdles and figured out some business issues that had been bugging me for weeks. This really does work!

Recommended Reading:

• Feeling Lonely, Depressed, or Underappreciated? Read This! Another great exercise I did when I was feeling down. This one works really well, too.
• True Visionaries Think Backwards. One of my favorite posts. This one will help you if you’re feeling mopey or sad about the future, or don’t know where you want your life to go.
• How Can You Have That Perfect “Flow State” More Often? You know those amazing feelings you get when you’re in “the flow”? How can you have those more often?

Feeling underappreciated? Try this simple remedy.

I was having one of those today while taking a shower, bemoaning my life, when a new thought occurred to me.

Background

I have real problems talking on the phone. While I know the phone is an essential communication mechanism for many people, I still have a tough time actually picking up the phone and calling anyone. I always feel awkward once I actually call someone, and my goal is often to relay information and hang up as quickly as possible, resulting in confusion for the person on the other end!

I managed to get over this quite effectively for business, since I always had an end goal in mind (“Is your issue resolved? Is there anything else I can help you with? Okay, great, thanks. Have a great day!”) but for simple personal calls, I just can’t do it. There’s no goal!

Kicking Myself out of My Self-Pity

I decided today that I could kill two birds with one stone and take a great leap by actually calling people. Since I needed a goal, I made one up: I would call ten people who had helped me out, either recently or in the past, and tell them thank you. Since it’s near Thanksgiving, this seemed appropriate.

After nearly having a heart attack at the thought of this, I plunged ahead. I picked up the phone and started calling. And amazingly, after talking to just four people, my mood totally shifted.

What I said was basically “Hi, it’s Erica Douglass. It’s near Thanksgiving and I just thought I would give you a call and say thank you for [specific things you have helped me with.] I really appreciate you being there for me.”

This was insanely awkward for me. I had no idea what they would say! I couldn’t script the conversation in my mind! I just had to wait.

The Result

What came back was amazing. It was, every time I got an actual person, a compliment about me, and/or some way I had helped them.

Some of you may be thinking, “Duh, Erica. That’s reciprocity in action.” But it’s not just a simple marketing concept — it’s a whole new way of thinking for me.

What I concluded is this: If you’re feeling underappreciated and unloved, chances are it’s because you aren’t giving out enough compliments and thank-yous to the people you appreciate.

Think about it. We’re all so quick to criticize. I admit that I’m the worst about this. I’m quick to point out what’s wrong. But how rare is it that you just get a phone call or letter — a real phone call or personal letter, not some quick email or form letter — saying “Thank you! You’ve made THIS SPECIFIC meaningful difference in my life, and I appreciate you.”

Why don’t you be the one to start this chain?

Don’t be so quick to write this off. Try it yourself. Make it your Thanksgiving goal to call ten people you love, and tell them why you appreciate them. Don’t pitch them, sell them, or expect anything in return. Next time you’re depressed, do it again. You may be amazed at how it will change your life.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Here, then, are five strategies you can use to give meaningful gifts your recipients will love — and actually use!

What are good gifts to give —
for even the pickiest recipient?

1. Avoid giving “stuff” if at all possible.

   All of us get an inordinate amount of “stuff” every year. Most of it clutters up our houses, and therefore, our life. I’m a big proponent of reducing the amount of stuff in my life, so I don’t like these gifts. Instead of giving stuff, why not give an experience they will remember for a long time to come?

   Here’s an easy question. Simply ask the gift recipient where they shop, eat, or would like to have a spa day, nail treatment, etc. Don’t let them get away with vague answers like “I buy most things at my local grocery store.” Ask them, “Where is your favorite place to shop?” Then give them a gift card fom that place.

   My mom gives me Amazon gift cards, which are nice — but they do contribute to the stuff accumulation in my life. I wouldn’t mind gift cards to my chiropractor, for instance, or my massage therapist. Heck, even paying a month of my gym membership would be awesome. The point is, these are all experiences I enjoy and that make me feel better. Why not contribute to someone’s well-being instead of contributing to their closet?

2. Give gifts that will save the recipient money.

   I admit to being a rather quirky gift-giver. Last year for the holidays, I gave everyone in my family about $75 each worth of compact fluorescent bulbs. With each gift, I explained why I had given it. “Installed properly, these will save you about $5-10/month on your electric bill,” I said. Then I helped them figure out where to install them in their house for maximum savings.

   If we all switched to compact fluorescent bulbs, we’d save 15-20% monthly on our electric bills, and our overall electricity demand in the U.S. would drop by 18%! [source]

   I’m definitely a crusader for environmentally friendly products, and I’ve been known to give away many CFL bulbs. But I can’t think of any better gift to give than one that takes less than 5 minutes to install and saves the recipient money, month after month. Who couldn’t use an extra $10-20 a month?

   Another gift in the same vein is a programmable thermostat (though you might want to consider how handy your recipient is, or offer free installation with it). Finally, a “smart” power strip that shuts off all devices when the primary one is turned off can help avoid “vampire” energy-sucking appliances by automatically turning off a DVD player, video game console, etc. when you turn your TV off.

3. Consider “add-on” gifts that the recipient would have to buy anyway.

   Find out what printer they have and buy cartridges for it. Find out what kind of razor they use and buy extra blades for it. If they have a video game console with only a single controller, consider a second or third controller. Buy them some blank DVDs or CDs so they can burn backups or music. If they print photos at home, get them some nice photo paper. Find out what exact bathroom and household supplies they have and buy them more of what they already own.

   These are great gifts because you practically guarantee they will get used. Instead of buying them something new (and therefore less likely to be used), you’re helping them use something they already own without outlaying additional cash.

4. If they have a subscription they like, continue it for them.

   Subscriptions and other “small luxuries” are often the first to go in a downturn. If your recipient loves Netflix, for instance, help them out by extending their subscription for a few months. Other subscriptions to consider extending include magazines, gym memberships, newsletters, and newspapers.

   The catch is that they actually have to be using that membership for this gift to be worthwhile. There’s a simple solution to this — ask them! We all love to talk about whether a certain service helps us or not. You won’t look foolish for asking “Hey, I noticed you had a couple Netflix DVDs on the table. Do you like their service?” Rather, you’ll appear interested in their life — and thoughtful when you later give the gift!

5. Buy gift cards for an experience they will remember — not for stuff they won’t use.

   One of my fondest memories was when a client we had gone above and beyond for sent my company a Ruth’s Chris gift card. Ruth’s Chris is a fantastic, high-end steakhouse. I wouldn’t typically eat there on my own, but the gift card made for a truly enjoyable experience. I can’t remember most of the gift cards I’ve gotten, but this one I will never forget.

   What’s a local, really nice restaurant near your recipient? Where can they go and have an amazing experience? Try to pick a place you’ve been to yourself. If you don’t know the area, use Yelp or Citysearch to help you find the cream of the crop in restaurants or spas.

What’s the point? We can all do a lot better at identifying what gifts to give recipients. Often, my friends and relatives complain that I’m hard to buy for. But by using these simple tactics, you can figure out what even the pickiest gift recipient would find useful.

Need a quick idea? Check out the most popular books others give as gifts:

We all have goals, dreams, and hopes, but all too often they’re quashed as we join the rat race to make more money, to then spend that money, which means we have to make more money, to spend more money…an infinite treadmill that, judging by many of the statistics I’ve read recently, some of us are never able to get off of.

I don’t want that someone to be you. I don’t want you to look back in 30, 40, or 50 years and say “Where did it all go?” I don’t want you to regret not doing the things that are really important to you — like spending quality time with your family and friends, and traveling — because you were working just so you could pay the bills.

Step Off the Treadmill and Live Your Dreams!

I want you to be able to step off that treadmill, because only then will you truly be able to rock this world. Want to spend 5 days a week working for your favorite cause without concern for how much the job pays? Want to buy a boat and sail across the ocean? Want to actually watch your kids grow up instead of sending them off to daycare? I want you to, as well. But you won’t be able to do any of that if you don’t start planning now for that future.

That’s why I have started a new mission — WealthCamp. WealthCamp is a unique personal finance conference. I have brought together some of the top personal finance speakers and authors and put them together in one room. They will be there to answer your questions and listen to your stories.

Ramit Sethi of I Will Teach You To Be Rich will be there explaining how to get started saving and investing. Judy Lawrence, who has sold over 400,000 budget books, will teach you how to make a budget. And Fred Ecks, who retired at a young age without winning the lottery, is going to show you how this is all possible and open your eyes to a new way of living.

Why Should You Be There?

Why should you come to WealthCamp? Simple. You have questions about personal finance. You have stories to share. You can learn from the gurus and in turn help others. But above all — you should come to WealthCamp because you understand this:

Financial education earns you financial freedom.

It’s true! If you want to retire early, how much money do you need to do that? Where should you invest? What’s the difference between a 401(k), a Roth IRA, and a traditional IRA? If you don’t know, WealthCamp is your opportunity to find out. And if you do, WealthCamp is your opportunity to share your story and help others.

Don’t Follow The Crowd…

Our economy is at a critical inflection point right now. There are massive amounts of Baby Boomers who wish to retire, but can’t, because they don’t have the money. At the same time, some 90% of 30-39-year-olds are in debt, and 76% of 20-29-year-olds are in debt. Financial education is the key to making sure we can live the life of our dreams. WealthCamp is the first personal finance conference in the world to engage a community of those who want to live their dreams and let you — the community — have a say in the conference.

I am passionate about living my dreams without having to worry about money or personal finances. If you want to learn how to start living and stop the treadmill, join us at WealthCamp on Saturday, May 31 in San Francisco. Use coupon code “friend” to bring your price down to just $50 — a bargain considering all of the excellent advice you will receive and all of the great people you will meet.

You will get a chance to reach out and connect with others who will support you in living the life of your dreams and fulfilling your goals. And you’ll become the first part of what will become a global community of people passionate about using money and investments as a tool to enable their true destinies.

I hope to see you there!

1) Waxing is painful.
2) Waxing is expensive.
3) Waxing takes a lot of time (about 45 minutes per treatment.)
4) I was left with sticky wax on my legs and some irritation after waxing.

At $55 per waxing treatment, 4-6 times per year, for the rest of my life, waxing wasn’t a pleasant alternative. Neither, however, was shaving. Shaving was also time-consuming and, worse, was causing irritation and ingrown hairs — to the point that I couldn’t shave very often. Plus, shaving is just annoying. I also have a “treasure trail” of hair on my stomach below my belly button that I’ve always hated, and neither shaving nor waxing ever got rid of that to my satisfaction.

There was a small forest growing on my legs, so I needed to do something in order to feel comfortable wearing shorts. The answer came when I found out my chiropractor’s wife, Kathy, does hair removal treatments. Since my chiropractor (his name is Todd Bragg, and if you’re in or around San Jose, look him up) is awesome and I trust him, I decided to give the laser hair removal a shot.

My first appointment with Kathy was last week. She explained that I needed to shave before doing a laser hair removal treatment and did a couple of “test spots” on my stomach. I was surprised by how little it hurt. The laser hair removal practitioners usually describe it as a flash of white light followed by a zap/sting that’s approximately equivalent to being flipped with a rubber band. I wasn’t bothered by it much at all, however. It mostly felt hot.

Treatments are done approximately every 6 weeks since hair grows in cycles. Each treatment for legs+stomach runs $204 if I pay in cash or $215 to pay by credit card. Kathy said that it would take approximately 6-10 treatments to be completely done, but once the treatments are done, you don’t have to shave or wax for at least 20 years (during mid-life most people have a second hair growth phase which will require a few more treatments to completely laser away.) While $1200+ may sound expensive, consider that I was spending $55 per leg wax treatment at least 4 times per year. It doesn’t take very long to make that back up. Furthermore, it’s not the money I’m most concerned about, but my time. Life is short and I don’t want to deal with waxing, shaving, and ingrown hairs. One of my goals in life is to focus my time carefully so that I never spend time doing things I don’t want to do (more on that in a later blog entry.) Suffice it to say that the time and money saved by doing laser hair removal now will pay out many times over in my life.

Since the test treatment went so well, I decided to get both of my legs done (I’m doing the bottom half of each leg only) as well as my “treasure trail.” My first treatment was today and overall, it went really well! It took about an hour start to finish, with 40 minutes of actual treatment. Basically, the practitioner puts a small device over the area that is getting hair removed. The device does about 1″x2.5″ every time. You see a light flash (she asks you to keep your eyes closed) and then feel a heat flash. I noticed that my left leg tended to feel more “sharp” tingles and my right leg seemed to feel more “burn” sorts of feelings. Either way, it’s relatively painless and not nearly at the level of waxing. The most sensitive area was the back of my knees, which felt like someone jabbed me pretty hard with a fingernail. (I have lots of experience with this since I have two cats with claws. Cat scratches are way more painful than anything I experienced today.) Most of the time my legs just felt hot for a few seconds, and that was it.

I tuned out of most of it, put some chill music on my iPod, and listened to my own breathing, and by the end of the treatment I was mostly asleep and relaxed. The key for me was listening to my breathing…that way I didn’t anticipate anything and force my legs into a reflexive recoil. I had to really mentally focus for a while to get my thoughts onto my breathing and not onto “I wonder if this next one will be painful?” I realized pretty quickly that it wasn’t very painful. Listening to my breathing and keeping my thoughts on the breathing and the beat of the music enabled me to completely tune out of what was going on.

My next appointment is in 6 weeks. I meant to take a picture of my legs today so I could showcase this on Flickr, but I forgot. Hopefully I’ll remember to take one next time so I can further track my progress. I should be able to see a noticeable difference even 6 weeks from now. We’ll see!