I recently blogged about Brisbane’s Paddington Pups who went from 0 sales to sold out in 3 weeks… Today’s post takes it one step further.

Hi Marc

I just wanted to say I love the Exponential Mindset and how well it works!  Small and easy to implement things for my business that have a huge impact.

Here is a great example I just experienced that you might want to share.

I was looking for a supplier of Dog calendars in November just gone so I could sell calendars to my clients who are all dog lovers.

I couldn’t find a supplier. I was so frustrated I decided to put together our own calendar for 2011 so I won’t have the same issue next year.

My husband is a professional photographer so know I can get great photos of my clients’ dogs. That’s when the Exponential Mindset comes in… I decided to implement Dog Of The Month where my husband would take the photos and the dog of the month for 2010 becomes the dog for that month in the 2011 wall calendar. By doing it this way, creates excitement and anticipation for next year’s calendar.

The dog who wins Paddington Pups Dog of the Month not only has to be a regular client but also must be a well behaved dog with its owners as raving fans of my business. This is my reward for them, a fun thing to do that everyone gets a kick out of!

You should know I am writing this to you in February before we have unveiled the dog of the month for March.

I want to let you know that already the buzz is huge. All my clients want to win! They all want to know who has won but most of all they want to know how their puppy or dog can win dog of the month.

The most interesting part is not however, the in-store competition and jealousy between the dog parents as you might think but the response from non-Paddington Pups clients.  In discussions with the mum of February’s Dog of The Month – Magic – the response she has received has been dramatic.

When Magic and her mum go to the local off leash park (a daily event) she has had people she has never spoken to before come up to her and say “Oh that’s Magic! Paddington Pups‘ Dog Of The Month!”

This happened on several occasions. Magic’s mum is blown away by the success of this ‘Marketing Tool’ as she refers to it.

Given that I have not been the one having the conversations with the people in the park I can’t say if they have dogs that come to Paddington Pups doggy daycare, are locals that come into the shop to purchase food or if they have read about Magic in the Pupdate (newsletter) or on our Paddington Pups Blog.  What I can tell you is that people are positively talking about my business in the local park where my potential clients go and congregate and talk about their dogs.

The pre-eminence this has created for my business is huge and we are only two months into the concept I can’t wait until the 2011 calendar is out.  The Calendar will serve as a constant reminder in people’s homes as well as the homes of all their family and closest friends. Who wouldn’t want to give a calendar as a gift if their dog or puppy was in it?!?!

Plus it gets even better as I have already managed to secure a sponsor for the calendar who is happy to contribute financially to add their branding. Did I mention it’s only February?!?!

I love the Exponential Mindset!

Thanks Marc for helping me think outside the cube and know how to twist it into profits that are fun!

Bree Robbins
Top Dog
Paddington Pups

Isn’t it amazing how one simple idea can become Exponential?

It of course has no end… Because once adopted, an Exponential Mindset keeps coming up with combinations…

• The first calendar will be the Dog Of The Month
• The second calendar will the Puppy Of The Month
• The third calendar can be the Labrador Of The Month, Boxer, Beagle…

Of course it doesn’t end there…

• The photos can be sold as large high resolution (quality) prints
• Keychains, coffee mugs, etc. can be created for each winning dog or puppy.

With an Exponential Mindset, once you’ve CREATED the initial movement, momentum is not hard to maintain…!

You will after you watch this exceptional YouTube Video that conveys

WHY you should always wear your seat belt.

Merci to Andrew Powell of Montreal Canada who sent this to me!

How can you tell the difference between Canadian, Australian, and American Police?

Pose the following question:

“You’re walking down a deserted street with your wife and two small children. Suddenly, a dangerous looking  man with a huge knife comes around the corner, locks  eyes with you, screams obscenities, raises the knife, and charges. You are carrying a Glock 40, and you are an expert shot. You have mere seconds before  he reaches you and your  family.”

What do you do?

Read More »»

I just realised I didn’t link to a previous blog post I published on a hilarious Maroochydore School Voicemail Message on my Get The Best Grades With The Least Amount Of Effort Blog, so here it is – enjoy. I guarantee you’ll forward it on to at least one friend. It’s THAT FUNNY!

Today’s post is special, it includes an AUDIO interview with Magic Barclay of Fitness Driven in Geelong as well as a downloadable checklist. Magic cares for people the various conditions and afflictions noted below with a holistic, non-invasive, non-pharmaceutical approach, producing, well… exponential results with a holistic approach that involves the patient and his or her carer. Her blog is becoming the central source of up-to-date information and research for people who want solutions that work.

Australian Blogs is proud to support Magic’s incredible devotion to this cause that helps so many who need better information. Information that actually solves problems, reduces pain and discomfort.

To listen to Dr Marc Dussault’s Interview of Magic Barclay at Fitness Driven <- Click on the hyperlink.

5 Exponential Blogging Lessons are included below:

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Want to get better results from your email marketing efforts and grow your email list? Here are the elementary steps of list building, as well as some more creative ideas.

The Basics of Blog List Building

When you first get started with email marketing, it’s normal to have a smaller list. It takes a concerted effort to get in the habit of asking for email addresses. There are people who have been email marketing for years and still aren’t taking advantage of all the opportunities they have to grow their list. Don’t let that be you!

Here are a few simple things that you can do to build your list:

• Put a “Join My Email List” sign-up box on your website or blog. Your website is the first place most people look when they want information about your business. It’s great when they visit your website, but are you capturing their email addresses? Don’t miss the chance to start building a relationship with them.
• Ask your customers for their email addresses and permission whether it’s over the phone or in person. Don’t forget to tell customers about your email communications and ask if you can add them to your list. If you have a physical store, put out a sign-up book in a prominent place. If your business is Internet-based and your only customer communication is through email, send them a follow-up email after an order and ask if they want to join your list. If you have employees who interact with customers, train them to ask as well.

• When you meet people at networking events and trade shows tell them about your free e-newsletter or your email-only specials and ask them if they would like to join your list.

Want to take it to the next level?

Here are some creative ideas that you can put into practice: Read More »»

Rosti Zacharias of Omni Data sent me this list of 50 Sydney Red Light Cameras that have been converted to speed cameras to catch people going over 60 km/hr! So be careful out there and make sure you forward this blog post link to anyone who’s out there driving around making sales calls or running errands! The format is the street, cross-street and suburb where the camera is.

Red Light Camera

Read More »»

Blogs are an amazing development – allowing anyone to communicate openly, publicly and globally. The big screen movie, Julie & Julia is but one extreme example and I have to admit is a pretty good movie. Anyway, getting back on point – even Engineers can learn to blog. I mean that with all the respect and admiration I have for my fellow colleagues since I too am an engineer.

Ray Keefe of Successful Endeavours in Melbourne has been in our Business Mastery Platinum Program for the past year and has produced some amazing results, but this latest one is definitely one I am really proud of…

An engineer blogging like a pro – who woudda thought?!?!

I mean take a look a Ray’s blog post about what’s so good about being an engineer. He’s used several of the tips I’ve talked about in previous blog posts on this and my other blogs.

For example, he optimises his blog’s SEO expertly for the keywords he knows his prospects are searching for and tells a story that people want to read even tell a few friends.

Go ahead and read his blog post and let him know how good it is by leaving a comment, he’ll really appreciate the encouragement.

I am sure I am not the only one to get a brand new iPhone for Christmas… But what will you do with your old mobile phone? Recycle it by donating it to charity!. That way you not only save the environment, but you help a charity create much needed income! That’s an exponential double-whammy!

Recycle Your Mobile

I just used Clean Up Australia as part of the Aussie Recycling Program.

Bookmark this link when you do get your next mobile phone – if you’re a company with multiple phones, they have a corporate service to make it quick and easy for you…

By the way, you can choose from several great charities so you can pick your favorite:

	Adelaide Zoo
	Animal Welfare League of Queensland
	Apex Australia
	ARAZPA
	Ardoch Youth Foundation
	Asylum Seekers Resource Centre
	AUSTRALIA ZOO with FAUNA & FLORA INTERNATIONAL
	Australian Red Cross NT
	Australian Red Cross VIC
	Australian Reptile Park
	Baptist Community Services
	Big Brothers Big Sisters
	Birkdale Scout Group
	Cancer Support Association WA Inc
	The Centre for Cerebral Palsy
	Cerebral Palsy League of Queensland
	Cerebral Palsy Tasmania
	Children’s Leukaemia & Cancer Research Foundation
	Clean Up Australia
	Community Telco Australia
	Convoy For Kids
	The Developing Foundation
	Disabilities Opportunities Victoria Inc
	Endeavour Industries
	Finding Workable Solutions
	Future Employment Opportunities
	Humane Society International
	Inspire Foundation
	Karuna Hospice Services
	Kidney Health Australia
	Lifeline Australia
	Lions Medical Research Foundation QLD & NSW
	Melbourne Zoo
	Perth Zoo
	Peter MacCallum Cancer Foundation
	RACV Foundation
	Rett Syndrome Australian Research Fund
	RSPCA ACT
	RSPCA SA
	Salvation Army
	Samaritans Foundation Recycling Division
	Scope (Vic) Ltd.
	SIDS and Kids
	Spastic Centre of New South Wales
	Spastic Centre of South Australia
	St. Vincent de Paul Society (Tasmania) Inc.
	TARALYE
	Taronga Zoo
	Uniting Care Ballarat
	UnitingCare Wesley Adelaide Inc
	UTS Union University of Technology
	WaterAid Australia
	Yooralla

A lot of people have mentioned they are really enjoying the Aussie jokes from time to time – if you come across a laugh-out-loud Aussie joke, please pass it on and I’l publish it on this blog that is dedicated to Australian Blogs. These are from BBM Magazine.

Q: What’s the second most Googled word on the Internet?
A: Pron.
Vinny, Surry Hills

• My wife accused me of being self-important.
I nearly fell off my throne.
Mike, Darlinghurst

• I started hanging out with this American the other day… not by choice though, I got pulled into his orbit.
Ian, Coogee

Today’s post is for those who enjoy a glass of wine… and those who don’t. It was sent to me by Gavin Buckett, the Gourmet Guardian.

As Ben Franklin said:
In wine there is wisdom,
in beer there is freedom,
in water there is bacteria.

In a number of carefully controlled trials, scientists have demonstrated that if we drink 1 litre of water each day, at the end of the 20th year we would have absorbed more than 1 kilo of Escherichia coli, (E. coli) – bacteria  found in faeces.

In other words, we are consuming 1 kilo of poop.

However, we do NOT run that risk when drinking wine & beer (or tequila, rum, whiskey or other liquor), because alcohol has to go through a purification process of boiling, filtering and/or fermenting.

Remember:

Water = Poop       Wine = Health

Therefore, it’s better to drink wine and talk stupid, than to drink water and be full of shit.

There is no need to thank me for this valuable information:

I’m doing it as a public service.

A recent BRW article mentioned that blogging is going professional. For self-employed bloggers who earn revenue from advertising, the mean annual advertising revenue is $US122,000 ($132,000), according to a survey by blog search engine Technorati has found. Interestingly, 32 percent of bloggers are self employed with 17 percent counting on blogging as their primary source of income. That’s encouraging until you realise that there are 187 million hits for blogs worldwide which means unless you have specific skills and strategies – DON’T QUIT YOUR DAY JOB!

If you want to learn how the top 5% of Internet Marketers (including bloggers) make more than the other 95% combined, you really must consider attending our 3-day Exponential Internet Marketing Bootcamp – coming up in Melbourne in a few weeks.

Think of it this way – there are people, working from home making $100,000+/year. What are they doing that you’re not?

Then consider this – There’s a concept called Flipping Websites For Profit that PAYS you up to $100/hour to get you to make $1,000/month on your way to $100,000/year of passive income… This program will be highlighted at the Exponential Internet Marketing Bootcamp…

Contact us now while seats remain available -

Today’s post is from Gavin Bukett, the Gourmet Guardian. We all know those cute little computer symbols called ‘emoticons,’ where:

means a smile and

is a frown.

Sometimes these are represented by

Well, how about some ‘Aussicons?’

Read More »»

I don’t know about you, but I hate having my time wasted. Whenever I write a blog post, including this one, my primary goal is to make sure that whatever time you spend reading the post is worth the time you put in. This one will take you less than 60 seconds.

How to write a blog post that is interesting, intriguing and captivating

With that in mind, I also want to make sure you’re ENGAGED in the process, not just passively reading or skimming.

You’re not skimming this are you?

Aw c’mon… I invested 10 minutes to make sure this is an invaluable tip that made you go Hmmm…

Are you back reading this now?

Thanks.

I appreciate that. Read More »»

Questions about Australia were posted on an Australian Tourism Website and – obviously – the answers came from fellow Aussies. Trust me, you’ll laugh out so you’d better not be reading this at work!

Q: Does it ever get windy in Australia? I have never seen it rain on TV, so how do the plants grow? (UK)
A: We import all plants fully grown and then just sit around watching them
die.

Q: Will I be able to see kangaroos in the street? (USA)
A: Depends how much you’ve been drinking.

Q: I want to walk from Perth to Sydney – can I follow the railroad tracks? (Sweden)
A: Sure, it’s only three thousand miles, take lots of water…

Q: Is it safe to run around in the bushes in Australia? (Sweden)
A: So its true what they say about Swedes.

Q: It is imperative that I find the names and addresses of places to contact for a stuffed porpoise. (Italy)
A: Let’s not touch this one.

Q: Are there any ATMs (cash machines) in Australia? Can you send me a list of them in Brisbane, Cairns, Townsville and Hervey Bay? (UK)
A: And your last slave died of……..?

Q: Can you give me some information about hippo racing in Australia? USA)
A: A-fri-ca is the big triangle shaped continent south of Europe. Aus-tra-lia is that big island in the middle of the pacific which does not… oh forget it. Sure, the hippo racing is every Tuesday night in Kings Cross. Come naked.

Q: Which direction is North in Australia? (USA)
A: Face south and then turn 90 degrees. Contact us when you get here and we’ll send the rest of the directions.

Read More »»

Today’s post has nothing to do with blogging except it is interesting and different – it’s a list of 26 things we have learned from movies… I thought it was intriguing enough to share with you since as a reader or subscriber to this blog, you’ve come to expect a twist and turn every once in a while. I guess that’s a blogging tip you should implement in your blogging schedule. You’ll get to know what works and what doesn’t as people comment and subscribe…

Another blogging tip that comes to mind is that as you develop your blogging persona and style, people will start to send you cool stuff like this list so you can share it with your readers… It’s  totally win-win-win.

26 Things we have learned from movies

1. Read More »»

1. The bigger the hat, the smaller the farm.
2. The shorter the nickname, the more they like you.
3. Whether it’s the opening of Parliament, or the launch of a new art gallery there is no Australian event that cannot be improved by a sausage sizzle.
4. If the guy next to you is swearing like a wharfie he’s probably a media billionaire. Or on the other hand, he may be a wharfie.
5. There is no food that cannot be improved by the application of tomato sauce.
6. On the beach, all Australians hide their keys and wallets by placing them inside their sandshoes. No thief has ever worked this out.
7. Industrial design knows of no article more useful than the plastic milk crate.
8. All our best heroes are losers.
9. The alpha male in any group is he who takes the barbecue tongs from the hands of the host and blithely begins turning the snags.
10. It’s not summer until the steering wheel is too hot to hold.
11. A thong is not a piece of scanty swimwear, as in America, but a fine example of Australian footwear. A group of sheilas wearing black rubber thongs may not be as exciting as you had hoped.
12. It is proper to refer to your best friend as “a total bastard”. By contrast, your worst enemy is “a bit of a bastard”.
13. Historians believe the widespread use of the word “mate” can be traced to the harsh conditions on the Australian frontier in the 1890s, and the development of a code of mutual aid, or mateship”. Alternatively, Australians may just be really hopeless with names.
14. The wise man chooses a partner who is attractive not only to himself, but to the mosquitoes.
15. If it can’t be fixed with pantyhose and fencing wire, it’s not worth fixing.
16. The most popular and widely praised family in any street is the one that has the swimming pool.
17. It’s considered better to be down on your luck than up yourself.
18. The phrase “we’ve got a great lifestyle” means everyone in the family drinks too much.
19. If invited to a party, you should take cheap red wine and then spend all night drinking the host’s beer. (Don’t worry, he’ll have catered for it).
20. If there’s any sort of free event or party within a hundred kilometres, you’d be a mug not to go.
21. The phrase “a simple picnic” is not known. You should take everything you own. If you don’t need to make three trips back to the car, you’re not trying.
22. Unless ethnic or a Pom, you are not permitted to sit down in your front yard, or on your front porch. Pottering about, gardening or leaning on the fence is acceptable. Just don’t sit. That’s what back yards are for.
23. The tarred road always ends just after the house of the local mayor.
24. On picnics, the Esky is always too small, creating a food versus grog battle that can only ever be solved by leaving the
    food behind.

Today’s post is a plug-in for Wordpress that’s really cool – it’s a Wordle Cloud for Wordpress. If you have no idea what Wordle is, you can check previous blog posts that mention Wordle and how you can use it creatively.

Use Wordle to analyse your blog

Use Wordle to create a greeting card

Use Wordle to create a motivational Vision Board

Use Wordle to create lists

Use Wordle to display survey results

Check the end of the post for the Exponential Distinction to avoid ALL scams like this. This one is pretty slick since they provide YOU with  all the information, except the one piece they  want. Note, the callers do not ask for your card  number; they already have it… This information is worth  reading. By understanding how the VISA  & Master Card Telephone Credit Card  Scam  works, you’ll be better prepared to protect  yourself.

One of our employees was called on  Wednesday from ‘VISA’, and I was called on Thursday from  ‘Master Card’.. The scam works like this: Caller: ‘This is  (name), and I’m calling from the Security and Fraud  Department at VISA. My Badge number is 12460. You r card has  been flagged for an unusual purchase pattern, and I’m  calling to verify. This would be on your VISA card which was  issued by (name of bank). Did you purchase an  Anti-Telemarketing Device for $497.99 from a Marketing  company based in ?’

When you say ‘No’, the caller  continues with, ‘Then we will be issuing a credit to your  account. This is a company we have been watching and the  charges range from $297 to $497, just under the $500  purchase pattern that flags most cards. Before your next  statement, the credit will be sent to (gives you your  address), is that correct?’

You say ‘yes’. The caller  continues – ‘I will be starting a Fraud investigation. If  you have any questions, you should call the 1- 800 number  listed on the back of your card (1-800 -VISA) and ask for  Security.’

You will need to refer to this Control  Number. The caller then gives you a 6 digit number. ‘Do you  need me to read it again?’

Here’s the IMPORTANT part  on how the scam works.

The caller then says, ‘I need to verify you are in  possession of your card’. He’ll ask you to ‘turn your card  over and look for some numbers’. There are 7 numbers; the  first 4 are part of your card number, the next 3 are the  security Numbers that verify you are the possessor of the  card. These are the numbers you sometimes use to make  Internet purchases to prove you have the card. The caller  will  ask you to read the 3 numbers to him.  After you tell the caller the 3 numbers, he’ll say, ‘That is  correct, I just needed to verify that the card has not been  lost or stolen, and that you still have your card. Do you  have any other questions?’ After you say No, the caller then  thanks you and states, ‘Don’t hesitate to call back if you  do, and hangs up.

You  actually say very little, and they never ask for or tell you  the Card number… But after one of our friends was called on Wednesday, they  called back within 20 minutes to ask a question.. Are they glad they did! The REAL VISA Security Department told them it was a scam and in the last 15 minutes a new purchase of  $497.99 was charged to their card.

Long story – short -  they made a real fraud report and closed the VISA account.  VISA is reissuing them a new number.  What  the scammers want is the 3-digit PIN number on the back of  the card Don’t give it to them.  Instead, tell them you’ll call VISA or Master card directly  for verification of their conversation. The real VISA told  them that they will never ask for anything on the card as they  already know the information since they issued the card! If  you give the scammers your 3 Digit PIN Number, you think  you’re receiving a credit. However, by the time you get your  statement you’ll see charges for purchases you didn’t make,  and by then it’s almost too late and/or more difficult to  actually file a fraud report.

What makes this more  remarkable is that on Thursday, my friends got a call from a ‘Jason  Richardson of Master Card’ with a word-for-word repeat of  the VISA scam. This time they didn’t let him finish. They hung up!  They filed a police report, as instructed by VISA. The police  said they are taking several of these reports daily! They  also urged us to tell everybody we know that this scam is  happening.

Please  pass this on to all your family, friends and neighbours. By  informing each other, we protect each  other.

New  Credit Card Scam
Snopes.Com says this is  true.

Exponential Distinction to prevent this sort of credit card scam:

Don’t give out any new information – track the caller’s phone number (if possible), get their employee ID and tell them you’ll call them back get their phone number (to give to the police). Then call the credit card company using the number on your statement instead of the number they gave you. That way you know who YOU are calling.

We do this EVERY TIME our credit card company calls us – WITHOUT EXCEPTION. They are used to it by now.

This is the kind of distinction that saves a lot of disruption and annoyance. It’s called having an Exponential Mindset. If you want to start to think like this, check out our programs at www.ExponentialPrograms.com if you want an introduction, you can test drive www.ExponentialMasterMind.com

As you know by now, my short blog posts are rare. This is one of them. This YouTube video is a must watch for anyone involved in Internet Marketing. It is absolutely priceless. I know you’ll want to watch it more than once and forward this blog link to colleagues and friends.

The Social Media Revolution Is Here