Today’s message is a guest entry from my good friend, David G. Johnson, founder of Epiphany Marketing.

“In a multitude of words transgression is not lacking, but he who restrains his lips is prudent.” (Proverbs 10:19 AMP)

On Monday, we introduced a topic that we can’t afford to ignore: how your business is being rated on public websites and social media environments. This is definitely an area where ignorance can be very expensive.

But it raises another important subject. Because social media is such a new phenomenon, many small businesses have stumbled into Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and other similar environments without a well-developed strategy. Perhaps you’ve already begun to reap a taste of the huge potential benefits of these media — increased exposure, better communication, and certainly: bigger revenues.

But if you haven’t developed a strategy that addresses some of the potential pitfalls of social media, you or perhaps someone from your team may be setting you up for trouble. This could be anything from wasted time due to a poorly-constructed (or missing) time management strategy all the way up to lost profits or even legal liability because of a flawed (or again: missing) content strategy.

Don’t misunderstand me: I’m a huge believer in utilizing every tool that makes sense for your business in order to help you get the word out. But as with any marketing or public relations medium, a little strategic planning goes a long way and can mean the difference between huge success and huge failure.

Special Note from Michael Pink: For more help developing and honing your 21st-Century marketing strategy, join David and me tomorrow evening (Thursday, August 13th) at 9PM Eastern for “How to Dominate Your Marketplace Using Social Media.” This special educational webinar will help all of us learn how social media can be used to grow your business, and advance your message. Click here to reserve your spot right now!  Can’t make the time? Please register anyway… if a recording becomes available, you’ll be the first to find out!

Are you working hard, but producing little? Does your day seem to get away from you? Do you have a lot of things working, but very little coming to fruition? I’ve got some great news for you!

Scientists in the Panama Canal planted 35 pairs of young plants in an opening in the rainforest. They covered ½ of them with fine mesh to protect them from pests and checked back in 20 months. The ones protected from pests were growing 10 times faster and were already 5 ½ times bigger than the unprotected plants.

Pests… You know… the things that distract us and keep us from being productive… email, phone messages, coworkers, etc. Time magazine did a study and found that the average worker loses 28% of their time due to interruptions and, in fact, only gets an average of 11 minutes of concentrated work before being interrupted. What if there was a way to set up a No Pest Zone and keep the pests at bay?

If you knew the rainforest strategies for dealing with pests you could create significant blocks of uninterrupted time and accomplish far more than you presently do. In fact, you could increase your productivity by up to ten fold! But you’ve got to think differently and act differently if you’re going to experience a different result.

For that you need knowledge or information which is the rainforest equivalent of water. It’s a scientific fact that a tree given a constant drip of water can grow 13 times faster than one left to the elements alone. Combine good information with great pest control in your life and you will be amazed at what you can accomplish.

Get a complimentary copy of Rainforest Strategy now and learn all about the best business model on the planet. All we ask you to do is cover the shipping and handling and consider the offer for our printed newsletter (The R.A.I.N. Report) when you’re done. But first get your copy of Rainforest Strategy

My fellow marketplace warriors…
Here is the invitation I promised you to join me for a meeting this week.  If you’ve been with us for a while, you’ll recall that we held a meeting with David (whose marketing thoughts you’ve probably been reading recently) just a few months ago and had an overwhelming response.

If you’re a newer subscriber, you may not yet be aware that our mission is to help believers worldwide build successful businesses so they can in turn (with their profits and influence) make a significant and lasting impact on the culture within which we live. How you make that difference is up to you. Helping you succeed in that calling is our privilege and our mission.

20-Fold Increase…
Recently, I was evaluating some statistical information related to our business.  It seems like it wasn’t all that long ago (in fact, it was just a couple of years ago) that I was getting excited about the 1,000 or 2,000 visitors coming to our website every month.  When I saw the more recent information, I found out that we’re averaging 10,000 visitors to our site every single week!  This has been due, in large part, to the efforts of David Johnson from Epiphany Marketing, who we retained just over a year ago to help us expand our reach.

Even more than multiplying the number of visitors, what has excited me is when I found out why they’re finding us… David showed me how to view the terms that people are typing into search engines like Google in order to find us.  Wow!  It’s amazing how well-targeted the results are.  We are connecting more than ever with the people who need what we have to offer.

David wants to share information with you…
…about how you can experience similar results.  And, more importantly, how to apply timeless marketing strategy to every facet of your business so that you’re best prepared to create relationships with the people you are reaching out to.  In fact, David would also like to introduce some of the people he’s been training for the last couple of months so you can hear directly from them about what they’ve been learning.

David and I have set aside several time slots Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday to discuss specific strategies to help you experience similar results. This is not for everyone, but if you want to grow your business using 21st-century strategies, you are welcome to join us. Register here now so you can be sure to reserve your spot on one of these conference calls. (As always, we are limited on the number of callers we can have on each conference call, so it’s a first-come, first-served basis.)

Warmest regards…

Michael Q. Pink

P.S. I know you probably checked your calendar previously, but I urge you to choose your best meeting time now… these calls will fill up quickly!

“Thus says the LORD to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have held, to subdue nations before him; and I will loose the armor of kings, to open before him the two-leaved gates; and the gates shall not be shut; I will go before you, and make the crooked places straight: I will break in pieces the gates of bronze, and cut asunder the bars of iron: And I will give you the treasures of darkness, and hidden riches of secret places, that you may know that I, the LORD, who call you by your name, am the God of Israel.” (Isa 45:1-3)

As we begin this year, I want us all to be on the lookout for those things, those opportunities, those ideas, those riches God has hidden in secret places and which He is quite willing to reveal to those who carry His heart. It seems to me that it is paramount that we discover and carry God’s heart before we begin looking for His riches. In fact, finding His heart and carrying it is perhaps the greatest treasure of all and it prepares us with the wisdom to carry greater responsibility. If we were to find His riches without finding Him we have gained nothing and risked everything.

Jesus said “Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness.” Think of it is this way, when you find His kingdom, discover His ways and lay hold of His righteousness, you will have the keys to everything that pertains to life and godliness. When we grasp the laws of the kingdom and operate within them, “all these things shall be added to us.” So the first treasure to be sought is the knowledge of Jesus Christ. He will lead us into everything else we need that is directly tied to our calling. If you are called to business, get ready to learn witty inventions. Get ready to innovate. Get ready to see that which you have previously missed. Get ready to hear the whisper of God.

Some years ago my wife and I were having lunch and the Holy Spirit directed me to immediately go and make a particular investment. Without knowing the current price, the past history or the projected future, we followed the Lord’s leading. The person we dealt with asked if we were “in the know” because the price had just begun to move off its low where it had been for awhile. I just smiled. Smiled more later when it increased by over 350% in an environment where other investments were failing all around. Get ready folks… Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God has prepared for them that love Him.

Today is the last in our series of entries from our special guest, John Muratori. Read through to the end to find out how you can hear more from John…

12 Biblical Laws of Wealth Creation

Like the law of gravity, The Twelve Biblical Laws of Wealth Creation just exist. They are the most universal set of directives on prosperity — trans-cultural, trans-generational, not bound by economics. Regardless of your age, environment, or financial situation, these 12 laws will stop the lack and shape your financial destiny. While I did not make up these 12 laws, I did spend a lifetime discovering them. It has been a journey of difficulty, trial, success and failure.

In “Rich Church Poor Church,” I devote a full one-third of my book to the study of these 12 laws. There isn’t space here for even an executive summary so I will share with you just one law — the most critical to your future wealth and well-being. It is the Law of the Brand. It is the foundation on which the other eleven laws are firmly established. It’s also the linchpin that holds them all together.

Businesspeople will recognize the brand as a company name or product name. Corporations spend millions of dollars defining themselves through their names, symbols and identities, then even more keeping that brand name in front of the public.

Your name is your brand and you should give priority to establishing a good name for yourself. Most people will never get to know you intimately, so your character is only known by the name and reputation that precedes you.

“A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favor rather than silver and gold.” (Proverbs 22:1 KJV)

A good name carries with it a high perceived value. If you have a reputation of honesty and integrity, you’ll find more doors opened to you, more acceptance into circles of influence and more resources given to you. If you have a reputation of getting the job done, of cutting costs or producing wealth, you are worth more in compensation to an employer or client. But it’s not just about business.

Your family relations weigh heavily on your good name. Do you keep the promises you make with your spouse and children? Or do you repeatedly miss that little league game, the piano recital or the chance to just hang out together? When our names no longer symbolize integrity and justice, businesspeople will no longer trust us with their resources and family members will no longer trust us with the secrets in their hearts.

“…[Jesus] increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.” (Luke 2:52)

Even in his youth, Jesus had a good name before many. Ultimately, the religious and political establishments would come to despise that name as many do to this day. But to the hurting, sick, and needy, His name is matchless in its ability to bring comfort and hope. What does your name say about you?

Coming This Thursday: Details on How You Can Receive Your FREE Copy of John Muratori’s Best Selling Book, Rich Church, Poor Church
This 300 + page hardback book is crammed with insight and revelation that can revolutionize your world. John Muratori demystifies spirituality and prosperity so you can be wealthy - God’s Way. John blends decades of business experience, intensive research and proven leadership to present you with the specific laws that govern the entire spectrum of wealth generation. As a subscriber here at Selling Among Wolves, you’ll have an advance opportunity to take advantage of this special opportunity. Check your inbox tomorrow for a limited offer you won’t want to miss.

Not yet a subscriber?

Recently I read an outstanding book by John Muratori called Rich Church Poor Church addressing the issue of money and Christianity, why the wicked prosper (and so many Christians don’t) along with twelve laws of wealth building that will help anyone get ahead in this world. (We will be offering a FREE copy of that book to our subscribers shortly in a special Christmas offer so be watching for details in early December.) I was so moved by what I read and thought it would be so helpful to our community of Christians in the business arena that I asked John to write our blogs for the next few sessions so you could get a taste of what I have partaken. Drink deeply and please pass on your comments…

What Does the Bible Teach Us About Wealth?

This question recently appeared on a popular Internet forum. The answers, apparently from Christians, reveal a somewhat limited and perhaps skewed picture of how some believers view earthly prosperity.

Here are a few of those answers:

“Jesus wants us to store our treasure in heaven.”

“The blessings of God come with great wealth, but not money. It comes with the power of eternal life, peace and serenity and most of all love.”

“Jesus said, it is easier for a camel to fit through a pinhole than for a rich man to get into heaven.”

Most of these positions were birthed during the Puritan movement, where financial prosperity was viewed as a hindrance to spirituality. However, proper biblical interpretation reveals that there are two sides of the same coin. For years the church has been unable to reconcile spirituality with prosperity. How does one run after God, yet still be wealthy?

Read the rest of this entry »

The Tabernacle of Moses reveals three distinct levels of Christian living and those three levels are easily relatable to business. Cooperating with them and knowing how to flow with each level will dramatically impact your business.

The Outer Court is Level 1 and is about practices. It is the place where character and competence are formed. It is the place of preparation. It’s about functioning based on what you see, what you observe, what you can grasp based on your own acquired skills. I call it the place of the 30-fold increase. We have spoken a lot lately about outer court concepts. They include processes, systems, common sense practices and they are essential. Most people never progress past this level.

The Inner Court is Level 2 and is about principles. It is the place of strategy, where God opens His Word and by His Spirit reveals His Way of doing things. These are not natural strategies deduced with natural wisdom, but rather God inspired strategies derived from Godly wisdom. (See James 3:17 for details). Think 60-fold increase.

The Holy of Holies is the third level. It is about the POWER of God working on your behalf to accomplish what you could never do on your own, with any amount of wisdom. Accessing this power is possible, but it is not a game, nor is it something to be taken lightly. Think 100-fold increase. We need to operate on all three levels. Stay tuned as we develop this a little further during the week.

By the way, in case you missed it, we have offered the CDs of our seven-hour teaching with PowerPoint on this subject for FREE to the first 500 folks who download the series called, The RainCatcher’s Secret: 7 Ancient Paths to Wealth, Wisdom and the Wonder of God. Beat the rush. On Friday that offer goes out to hundreds of thousands of folks. Click here for details.

Should you manage by the numbers and utilize formulas or should you listen to God and build your business through relationships? If you chose either of those answers, you have fallen for the “right/wrong”, “either/or” game. It’s both. And there’s more.

If we rely only on numbers or formulas and we leave God out of the equation, or minimize relationships, then we error indeed. If we leave all the diligence and hard work up to God and just seek Him, expecting Him to deliver the big result, then we also error. It is both. We need to strike a balance.

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