edited by Frederick Mann
© Copyright 1993 Build Freedom Holdings, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
Note: Copyright does not extend to Section by Paine's Torch or
Part 2
Dedication
This report is dedicated to Mr. Jarret B. Wollstein,
co-founder of the original Society for Individual Liberty and
Director of International Society for Individual Liberty. He has
organized many libertarian groups, including Society for
Individual Liberty chapters at the University of Maryland and
George Mason University. During the 1970s, his Libertarian Social
Club in Washington, D.C. regularly drew 60-150 people at monthly
meetings. Mr. Wollstein co-authored Society for Individual
Liberty's "Principles of Liberty" course, which has
been used by hundreds of groups throughout the world.
A major portion of this report is adapted from three brochures written by Mr. Wollstein and published by International Society for Individual Liberty, 1800 Market Street, San Francisco, CA 94102; (415) 864-0952.
Introduction
I must confess that I still know very little about selling
freedom for profit. I have only just gotten my toes wet. Since
1984 my focus has been on attempting to sell what I call
"advanced freedom" to freedom-lovers. Until May 1993 my
results were disappointing. All that changed when I formulated
Build Freedom. Since then the results have been quite spectacular,
as you can see from Build Freedom Progress Report #1 and How
the Three-Level Marketing Method Works. Either Build Freedom is
a brilliant concept and design "whose time has come,"
or my selling ability has improved dramatically - or both!
The Build Freedom ideas seem to have an inspirational, electrifying, and energizing effect on a significant proportion of the people they are presented to. However, I still know very little about selling freedom to those who hate freedom, or are blind to freedom, or do not yet love freedom. In any case, a concerted effort will continue to improve Build Freedom's freedom-selling ability on all fronts.
This report should be read in conjunction with reports #TL30A: The Power in the Details and #TL30B: Missing Function. These two reports contain some information crucial to making projects work. The most important principle is that if you want to proceed from A to Z, you need to take all the action steps in between. Most projects fail or languish simply because people omit vital action steps.
If you approach your freedom-selling activities as primarily an exercise in learning and self-improvement, you will succeed sooner or later. You want to think in terms of changing yourself, improving yourself - to the point that others will view you as an example or role model. Changing yourself is much easier than changing others. Changing and improving yourself puts you in the driver's seat. It gives you power. You always have the power to change and improve yourself. If your success depends on changing others, you give away your power. First, you need to sell more freedom to yourself.
This report is divided into four parts. Part 1 covers some of my ideas about selling and freedom, and those of author Paine's Torch. Part 2 contains the guidelines developed and tested by Jarret B. Wollstein, a Director of the International Society for Individual Liberty. Its focus is on creating and running Build Freedom Chapters or Action Groups. Part 3 briefly discusses Mail Order/Direct Mail. Part 4 is an Annotated Bibliography of books to improve your selling skills.
Part 1 - SELLING AND FREEDOM
The Power-Message Principle
By "power-message" I mean something that is put in the
environment of a person in order to achieve a desired result. For
example, I would like an orange. I ask my mother, "May I
have an orange, please?" My mother gives me an orange. I
have achieved the desired result: obtaining an orange. The
question "May I have an orange, please?" is a
power-message.
The application of power-messages follow certain steps:
(a) Identify or define a desired result.
(b) Develop or select a power-message that may achieve the
desired result.
(c) Identify or select person(s) likely to assist you in
achieving the desired result.
(d) Do not expect the person(s) to be different or behave
differently from the way they are and behave.
(e) Put the power-message in the environment of the person(s) you
want to influence to bring about the desired result.
(f) Observe what happens. Learn from it what works.
(g) If the desired result has been achieved, that ends the
procedure.
If the desired result has not been achieved, any or all of the
following steps can be taken:
(a) Ask, "What can I learn from what I did and what
happened?"
(b) Choose a different desired result.
(c) Select different or more person(s) to whom to present the
power-message.
(d) Repeat the power-message or put out many copies of it.
(e) Change and improve the power-message.
(f) Develop an entirely different power-message.
(g) Ask, "What do I need to improve about myself so I can
choose attainable desired results, design effective
power-messages, and select the appropriate person(s) to whom to
present my power-messages?
A power-message can be a smile, a word of encouragement, a warning shout, a love letter, a dollar bill, a hug, a kiss, an advertisement, a speech, a question, a present, a report like this one, an explanation, a book, an apology, a phone call.
It is when our power-messages fail to produce desired results, that we need to very consciously and deliberately observe, think, and choose what to do next. If we react automatically, unthinkingly, emotionally we may compound undesirable results into even worse results. For example, if we react with anger or make-wrong, the result we produce may get worse and worse - such as a shouting match.
We need to learn when it is unrealistic to expect certain
results with certain people. We need to learn when, in order to
achieve a desired result with one person, we have to send our
power-message to a hundred or even a thousand persons. Here are
some characteristics of power-messages that work:
(a) Generally, they have the potential of making the recipient
feel good.
(b) They satisfy or promise to satisfy a need of the recipient.
(c) They appeal to the recipient's emotions such as greed or
fear.
(d) Generally, they do not make the recipient wrong, nor are they
threatening.
(e) The recipient perceives a benefit from acting in accordance
with the power-message.
(f) Exceptionally, emotions such as anger may work.
(g) Exceptionally, orders or threats may work and even be
appropriate.
The worst thing you can do when you fail to achieve a desired result, is to blame the recipient(s) of your intended "power-messages." Any message that fails to achieve a desired result is suspect. When you blame the recipient(s), you surrender your power - your success depends on how others are and how they behave. When you say, "I will change myself, my power-messages, and/or choose different recipients," then you operate with power.
A power-message is whatever achieves the desired result. However, a power-message that achieves a short-term result may compromise or destroy long-term results - "Today I will do what you say, but just wait till it's my turn to call the shots... "
Power-messages develop efficacy through trial and error, experimentation, observing the consequences they produce, constant improvement.
We want to avoid getting stuck with habitual, unconscious messages we repeat over and over without achieving desirable results.
We develop more effective power-messages through our power of choice.
Human Choice: the Greatest Power on Earth
Uncomfortable and difficult to confront as it may sound, we
largely choose our lives and circumstances. We choose our jobs or
the work we do. We choose our relationships. We choose our
friends. We choose the quality of our relationships and
friendships. We choose the homes we live in* We choose whether we
are rich or poor.
Unquestionably, some events do occur that we didn't choose and had no power over. But these are relatively rare. By and large, the results we now enjoy, or suffer from, are the consequences of our choices. Habitually, we make thousands of little choices every day. Many of these choices are unexamined, for example, what we eat. Do we know why we eat everything that we do? Do we just habitually eat what appears on the plate? Do we consciously choose all the things we say to the partners we are in relationship with?
The condition of the world - all the problems: war, government, terrorism, crime, drugs, pollution, poverty, starvation, inflation, depression, unemployment, homelessness, etc. - all the achievements: wealth, peace, rapid transport, comfortable and safe housing, efficient communication, happiness, improving health, etc. - are the results of individual human choices.
At any time, any individual, through the power of individual choice, can set in motion a process whereby vast changes occur and spread. Hitler did it. So did Gandhi.
The power of human choice was demonstrated by John F. Kennedy when he expressed the human choice: "A man on the moon within ten years." When making such a choice, expressing such a desired result, it is not necessary to know how that result will be achieved. It is not even necessary to know that the result can be achieved.
Mahatma Gandhi chose to get the British masters out of India. Gandhi used power-messages. His theme was a form of civil disobedience. The disobedience of Gandhi and his followers was more powerful than the guns of the British and the might of their empire. Fundamentally, it was Gandhi's choices that defeated the British Empire.
Gandhi operated according to the sovereign individual principle. He was a Build Freedomn in spirit.
Sell Freedom to Yourself
A Build Freedomn is someone who has chosen freedom - sold freedom
to himself or herself. In some very important aspects a Build
Freedomn is a special breed of human. Below is an example of the
kind of basic assumptions, assertions, or affirmations that a
Build Freedomn lives by:
(a) I am free;
(b) I am sovereign;
(c) I am responsible;
(d) I choose the values by which I live;
(e) I live my life the way I want to;
(f) I practice association by consent;
(g) I want others to enjoy the same freedom.
Each Build Freedomn has his or her own set of basic assumptions, whether explicitly formulated or not. Some of the implications of the above assumptions follow:
(a) I am free
You can't become free by merely asserting that you are free. I
also suspect that it is very difficult for people who haven't
lived free to discover that they are free. But people can
discover that they control the energy that animates their bodies,
and that - ultimately - every action they take follows from a
decision in their brain. My mind and my body are in my power...
Whatever beliefs I might have about not being free are beliefs in
my mind. I chose those beliefs. I can change those beliefs.
(b) I am sovereign
The discovery that you are sovereign follows from the realization
that you are free and that all coercive political systems on
planet earth today are systems of institutionalized fraud and
theft. I do not rule others, nor am I ruled by others. I am
sovereign over my life, mind, and body.
(c) I am responsible
The realization that you are responsible follows from an
increasing awareness of the links between your actions (and
non-actions) and their consequences. Your choices have
consequences. The kind of life you now lead, your degree of
freedom, and the state of your health are consequences of your
choices. You have created your life. You are responsible, whether
you know it or not.
To a very large extent, I cause my actions, I produce my own outcomes, and I determine what happens to me. Though I realize that while I am free to choose my actions, I am not free to choose the consequences of my actions.
Being responsible also means that I keep the agreements I make.
(d) I choose the values by which I live
Whatever moral code you live by you chose it - even if by
default. If you decide to live by the "laws of a
country" (so-called), that is your choice. A Build Freedomn
knows that there can be as many moral codes as there are
conscious individuals.
(e) I live my life the way I want to
For the most part, this is really an obvious statement of fact.
To think otherwise is to deceive yourself. If you wanted your
life to be different you would have created it differently
through your choices. Of course, we do realize that "chance
events" have considerable influence - but it is the victim
or slave or cattle mentality who blames external factors and
feigns helplessness.
Or - as a statistician might say - I organize matters so as to maximize the probability that my life will turn out the way I want.
(f) I practice association by consent
Force or coercion by human against human is a remnant of the
practice of slavery. I believe in voluntary association. I do not
force or coerce others. I organize my life so as to reduce
coercion from others against me to a minimum. (Most government
can also be regarded as institutionalized force or coercion.)
(g) I want others to enjoy the same freedom
Other Build Freedomns enrich my life. Social contact with them
tends to be rewarding, business mutually profitable. In general,
life is more fun and rewarding among a circle of Build Freedomns.
Benefits result from my successful attempts to assist others to
increase their freedom.
Parallel: A rational person seeks associations with other rational individuals, and profits from their existence through voluntary exchange in which all parties gain value.
WHY I SUPPORT TERRA LIBRA
by Paine's Torch, ZENO Press
(Paine's Torch is an admirer of Thomas Paine and the introductory principles of the Declaration of Independence. He is also the author of the book A Personal Declaration of Independence: To Complete The American Revolution.)
Build Freedom is a freedom breakthrough! It's an organization based on individual freedom, sound business principles and using the strengths of markets to protect people from government aggression. This article explains why I gave up on politics and most educational approaches in my search for freedom. It explains what Build Freedom is, what it will do, and how. For me it's the most exciting freedom idea since the Declaration of Independence - the FREEDOM WAVE of the future
Failed Politics
I thought freedom could be obtained through politics, but I was
wrong. I was absolutely convinced that if enough people
heard the freedom message, they would jump at the chance to
embrace the ideas of self-ownership, non-coercion and free
markets. This turned out to be a gross underestimation of the
effect of government and media brainwashing.
When I ran for Congress to promote free market ideas, I found that most people who listened to me didn't want freedom. They wanted guaranteed security, without effort or cost. And more promises, like the ones Bill Clinton, George Bush and Teddy Kennedy make. So I left politics.
From Politics to Education
Then I tried education. I worked with various educational groups
who promote the ideas of free markets and individual freedom and
responsibility. I taught courses on the principles of freedom,
and advised market-oriented political candidates. But I simply
got tired of explaining over and over again to unconscious people
why the government doesn't help poor people.
I had learned from The Enterprise of Law by Bruce Benson that the best legal systems have their origin in customs and market principles, rather than statutory or constitutional law. From The Law by Frederic Bastiat I learned that the "government" cannot forcefully transfer wealth from those who produce it to those who don't without violating its primary charter: to protect people and property. But until Build Freedom, these wonderful ideas were mere abstractions to me - something I could get excited about only in my precious spare time.
While freedom education is important and must be continued, the main problem with most educational approaches is that they require people to spend time, money and effort working for the great "cause" of freedom. But I have learned that freedom is not a "cause." Nor is it an abstraction. It is something very real, personal and practical. And frankly, most people don't want it. They are too comfortable with their government-subsidized jobs, businesses and lifestyles. They seem to think these things will go on forever, despite an escalating public debt for which interest payments will exceed tax revenues by around 1995. Appealing to people's minds means they work on freedom part time. With this approach, they have to treat it as something less important than their current job or career.
As my philosophy became more radical through reading Thomas Paine, Henry David Thoreau, Lysander Spooner, Albert Jay Nock and Rose Wilder Lane, I realized that the people who call themselves "the government" are really not all-powerful. They are simply a confused collection of unproductive people who prefer the safety and security of groupthink rather than their own thoughts and responsibility. I learned that "government" is an abstraction - a silly collective which, like an ant colony, has no room for individuals who think for themselves. The people in and around government are crippled by their own bureaucratic rules, strict procedures and above all, blind obedience to authority. To continue to play the government's game, by the government's rules, seemed silly to me.
Freedom as a Product
I learned that freedom is a product that must be produced
by human ingenuity and labor. The idea of selling freedom for
profit was inspired for me by Spencer Heath in his book Citadel,
Market and Altar. In it Mr. Heath described a society in
which public services could be provided by businesses driven by
private property and free markets. Upon learning this, I was
thrilled to realize I don't have to play the government's game,
or ask it for anything. I can build my own freedom, and
make a living at it. So this has become my goal.
Freedom as a product. This may seem strange to most people, because they have been taught to view freedom as a right, a privilege, a cause, or a philosophy. But none of these ways of viewing freedom fully recognizes what freedom is. According to Rose Wilder Lane in The Discovery of Freedom, freedom is "self control, no more, no less." This elegant definition suggests the theme of her book: that individuals have the personal power to recognize and protect their own individual freedom, if only they will choose to do so.
As a product, freedom must be improved if it is not currently selling well. (Simple: if people aren't buying your product, improve it!) As a product, it must be perfected, marketed, and sold like shoes or groceries. As a product it must be promoted by businesses for profit, which is the source of virtually all material wealth in the world today. Only by developing profit-seeking businesses will enough people be able to spend enough time and receive enough from their freedom efforts to make its promotion worth their while. It is profit-seeking businesses that produce abundance and social harmony. The people who call themselves "government" try to confiscate and destroy this wealth, but they actually do this with the sanction of their victims. As Build Freedom will demonstrate, removing your "permission" for the "government" to control your life can be a liberating experience
The "Power" of Government
Many people believe that those who claim to be the "federal
government" are powerful, smart, and able to control large
segments of the population by force. But they cannot, any
more than the Soviet Union could. In the end, the power of that
"awesome" government was exposed for what it really
was: a paper tiger, blown away by a small minority of the
population who simply decided to stop being victims. The
federal government operates on the same principles, and will
likely meet the same fate as the former Soviet Union.
In the popular television series Star Trek: The Next Generation, an all-powerful collective called the "Borg" destroys everything in its path. It's based on the destruction of the individual - to the extent that its members have no concept of the word "I." This fantasy contradicts everything I have learned about individuals and collectives. Collectives aren't strong; they're weak - primarily because they get bogged down in inefficient committee decisions. No one will take responsibility for what he has done, preferring instead to let the collective take the rap. This makes most collectives hopelessly pathetic and ineffective. A real "Borg" literally couldn't feed itself!
Unfortunately, stories like this lend credibility to the false idea of government as all-powerful. Perhaps the best thing that could happen to the freedom movement would be for the Star Trek series to produce a story about a productive, peaceful, anarchistic society based on market principles. Perhaps you or one of your friends would like to write such a story and submit it to the producers. I hope you make a bundle!
Almost everyone in government must ask permission before acting. Except for a few megalomaniacs like some Army Generals and U.S. Presidents, the vast majority of people in government are incapable of performing outside a strict routine of established procedure and stifling rules. So anyone with half a brain, upon learning those rules, can find ways to beat the bureaucrats. And that is just what Build Freedom does.
Some citizens in Moscow did this when they stared down the pathetic ineptitude of the Soviet Army. The Army's tanks were no match for a few thousand people who said, "Enough!" Ask yourself: Why didn't the tanks open fire?
Build Freedom - A Worldwide Free Enterprise Zone
Build Freedom is a new country; not like any others you've
ever seen. It's a country without borders, statutes, taxation or
institutionalized coercion. It has a Code which emphasizes
individual freedom and responsibility, respecting the principles
of self-ownership, non-coercion and association by individual
consent.
Build Freedom is a worldwide free enterprise zone, in which people from all over the world can coordinate their activities to achieve practical freedom. Frederick Mann, founder of Build Freedom, has developed, adopted and used a variety of techniques which anyone can use to protect themselves from the aggression of government. He calls this Freedom Technology: the practical knowledge, skills and methods needed to produce freedom in an unfree world. His approach is largely based on legally, elegantly and safely withdrawing from existing political systems, although it is not limited to that approach.
Build Freedom is based on 1) respecting individual humans enough not to coerce them, 2) developing and marketing Freedom Technology, 3) increasing individuals' personal power to beat bureaucrats, and 4) teaching people how to sell freedom for profit. It is capable of serving as a coordinating entity for existing and future free-market banks, currencies, systems of justice, schools, protection agencies and other true free enterprise companies. There are generally four kinds of involvement with Build Freedom: Customers, Distributors, Professional Liberators and Patrons.
Customers, as with other businesses, are people who choose to buy Build Freedom products, which include a wide variety of reports, essays, books and packages emphasizing practical, street-smart techniques to achieve personal freedom. Distributors are customers who would like to start their own businesses selling Build Freedom products. They receive commissions from Build Freedom for the sales they generate. Professional Liberators are people who have decided to work toward freeing themselves and others through the Build Freedom economy. Patrons are individuals who are most dedicated to promoting Build Freedom, which generally includes a commitment to enroll other Patrons and Professional Liberators.
Each category is explained, as well as the entire Build Freedom approach, in the Introduction to Build Freedom package, which consists of six reports: Behold - Build Freedom!, The Build Freedom Empire, Freedom Technology Resource Guide, Freedom Technology Directory, Suggestions for Build Freedom Distributors, and The Freedom Resources of Build Freedom. These reports describe Build Freedom, its Code and structure, the resources available to it, the various professional categories of participation, and a detailed discussion of Freedom Technology. Dozens of other reports and products are available from the rapidly-expanding Build Freedom product line. All of these may be sold by Distributors on a commission basis.
Free Yourself!
I support Build Freedom because it's the right approach, at
the right time, with the right message: "Stop asking
permission to be free - FREE YOURSELF!" Rather than
banging your head against the wall trying to convince government
"junkies" to give up their narcotic, FREE YOURSELF!
Rather than spending several hours a week for a
"cause," FREE YOURSELF! These are the sentiments
of liberated, conscious people; not the confused, collective
mindset you were taught in government schools.
Something inside you caused you to read this article. Something inside kept you reading until you reached the end. If you have read this entire article, you may be the kind of person who will embrace Freedom Technology and Build Freedom. Find out who you are. Buy Build Freedom products. Sell them to others. Build freedom full-time. FREE YOURSELF!
Part 2 - WOLLSTEIN ON SELLING FREEDOM
[Part 2 of this report is adapted and edited from three brochures written by Jarret B. Wollstein, Director of International Society for Individual Liberty, 1800 Market Street, San Francisco, CA 94102; (415) 864-0952.
How to Sell Freedom
In folklore, to succeed all you need to do is come up with a
great idea or product. "Invent a better mousetrap, and the
world will beat a path to your door." Unfortunately, the
world almost never beats a path to anyone's door. Countless
brilliant inventors, artists and scientists, have died in poverty
and anonymity. On the other hand, thousands of people who
developed modest improvements have become wealthy and successful.
What is the difference between these two groups? Why have many
ordinary people with so-so ideas succeeded while many brilliant
people with great ideas have failed?
Certainly there are factors outside of your control which contribute to success or failure. But one of the most important factors is something you can learn and develop: effective salesmanship. Salesmanship simply means presenting your product in a way that is attractive and emotionally compelling to your audience.
If you want your ideas or products to be accepted, you must beat a path to the world's doors. This is particularly true if your product is a new or misunderstood idea, such as freedom. Like any other product, freedom must be sold.
Selling Freedom
Below are some of the most important, basic principles involved
in selling. Potential candidates for recruitment or enrollment
are referred to as "prospects."
1. Set Realistic, Numerical Goals. If you don't have realistic goals, you probably won't accomplish much. In selling freedom, your goals could be how many new people you get to come to your meetings each month, how many activities you sponsor, or how much money you take in. When it becomes easy to meet an initial goal, set new, more ambitious ones.
2. Be Professional. Selling freedom is a serious business and you need to adopt a serious, professional attitude. At the very least, your prospects can expect competence. Make sure your meetings start on time, that literature is mailed out promptly, and that appointments are kept.
Newcomers to meetings should be greeted with a handshake and a smile. Everyone should wear name tags. Old members should try to get to know newcomers and show sincere interest in them. Someone should introduce newcomers to other members. Honestly compliment newcomers and prospects. In general, everything possible should be done to make them feel comfortable and liked.
Your organization and your personal appearance should convey an attractive, professional image. Literature should be attractively printed and legible, and you should dress for success.
When selling to the public, it is your job to meet your prospects' expectations. It is not their job to meet yours. Untold thousands of people have been lost to the freedom movement because literature was never sent, newcomers were not made to feel welcome, or conventions were poorly run.
3. Adjust Your Speaking Rate and Style. Speak at the same pace as your prospects. If you are speaking to a slow talker, talk slowly. If you are speaking to a fast talker, talk faster. Use the simplest possible language to describe your product. Your purpose is to communicate, not to impress others with your intelligence. The language you use should also be adjusted to consider the background, educational level, values, and interests of your audience.
4. Qualify Your Prospects (But Don't Disqualify Them Too Quickly). Every sales person engages in a process called "qualification," which means determining if a particular person or group is a serious prospect.
You qualify a prospect by asking three central questions: What do you want? When do you want it? What are you willing to pay for it? For example, if a person tells you they want lower taxes as quickly as possible and they would be glad to pay $3,000 to an effective tax-abatement group, you have a good prospect. Similarly, a person who says that government has no business censoring films and music, would be another good prospect. A strong negative answer on any one of the three qualifying questions, particularly the last one, means you have a fair or poor prospect. For example, if someone tells you they are all for freedom, but don't have the time or money to spare, go on to someone else. People who tell you they want more government handouts, more laws and regulations, or more political power to implement their personal agendas, would be your worst prospects.
Concentrate on your best, easiest prospects - people who you get along with and who already agree with you 80% or at least 50%. Although freedom is beneficial to nearly everyone, because of political biases, your personal style, and other factors, you are not going to be able to sell everyone. Deal with those whom you are most comfortable. For some, this will be students. For others, it will be businessmen, women's groups, or senior citizens
Some groups are particularly solid prospects for freedom, including:
It is also important not to disqualify prospects too quickly. In selling a product as general as freedom, one conversation may not be enough to qualify a prospect. A negative response to one idea or issue is certainly not enough to disqualify. In sales, the rule is: get 3 to 6 strong "no's" before you give up. If you discover good prospects, that you just can't get along with, turn them over to someone else with a different style or approach.
5. Talk Benefits, Not Features. In selling any product, avoid technical discussions of "features." Concentrate on how the product will benefit the customer. If you are selling a "Banana" Computer, you might emphasize how the Banana will make writing and keeping financial records much easier and at a very reasonable cost. Talk about how owning this computer will make the buyer the envy of their friends and co-workers, and enable them to make lots more money money if they are in business.
Similarly when you are selling freedom, you need to talk about how freedom will benefit your audience. Freedom is one product that benefits every honest person, so it can be sold to nearly everyone. Here are some examples:
There aren't any good freedom arguments for thugs, power-mongers, dedicated socialists, and radical egalitarians. But properly presented, freedom appeals to just about everyone else.
6. Spend More Time Listening Than Talking. Emphasize Areas of Agreement. Avoid Areas of Disagreement. People buy products for their reasons, not your reasons. Your job as a freedom salesperson is to explain how freedom will enable others to fulfil their needs. You discover what motivates prospects by asking lots of questions and listening carefully to the answers.
If a person says they want more information about the Build Freedom Supper Club of Orange County, a logical question is: "What did they find interesting about the Club?" If they answer, "The upcoming picnic," tell them about what a great party it will be and about all of the interesting people they will meet. You may think going to picnics is a dumb reason to join your Club, but what you think should motivate people is irrelevant. Congratulate your prospect on his good judgment in coming to your picnic. If a lot of other people also want picnics, plan many more in the future.
In selling freedom, emphasize areas of agreement, avoid areas of disagreement. If a conservative tells you he wholeheartedly endorses your free-market principles, but has serious reservations about your position on drugs, avoid that issue. Congratulate your conservative prospect on recognizing the central importance of traditional American values. If you do discuss drugs with your conservative at some much later date, it should be in terms of his values: safety, individual responsibility, family, and economic efficiency, not civil liberties.
Incredibly, many libertarians invert this process, driving away many of their best prospects. In my younger and less enlightened days, I often met people who said they agreed with 90% of what libertarians believed, and disagreed with just a few points. Instead of minimizing these disagreements, I would pounce on them! I might even insult people by telling them they were wrong, inconsistent, immoral and/or stupid for disagreeing with me! I was more interested in winning debates than in winning converts. I won a lot of debates, but I lost a lot of prospects.
7. Follow Up. Once a person has requested literature, attended a meeting or bought literature, thank them and maintain contact. All interest, help, and contributions should be acknowledged and shown appreciation. Anyone who does anything, should receive a thank you note and praise at meetings. People who make substantial contributions should be given certificates, plaques and awards. Small gifts - flowers, fancy pens, special lapel pins, etc. - for special help, create goodwill and encourage further work in the future.
8. Division of Labor. The '"freedom business," like all businesses, requires a division of labor. Not everyone is emotionally equipped to be a frontline salesperson. The movement also needs researchers, writers, artists, and accountants. It is important to identify where your talents and the talents of your co-workers lie. Specialize in areas where you are most effective.
Whether selling freedom is central or peripheral to your participation in the Build Freedom movement, I hope you will find these suggestions helpful.
Why Start a Local Build Freedom Chapter or Action Group
It seems that every day governments further restrict and threaten
our freedoms. Rising censorship, abuses of civil rights,
out-of-control government taxes and spending, attacks on
business, and wars all threaten our freedoms. Never has the need
been greater for articulate, effective spokesmen and organizers
for freedom.
There are three main reasons you should start a Build Freedom Chapter or Action Group:
How to Start a Build Freedom Chapter or Action Group
Your first step is to contact other Build Freedomns in your area,
and ask them to help you start a chapter. If you don't know
anyone, Build Freedom Holdings (the Build Freedom
"headquarters" company) will, do a computer search to
help identify other local Build Freedomns and freedom prospects.
Another good way of locating other local Build Freedomns is to run an advertisement in your local or campus newspapers. The following ads are good examples:
"FREEDOM-LOVERS. New campus (or community) group now forming. If you are interested in learning more, call Bill Smith at 000-0000 evenings and weekends."
"FREEDOM, THE FREE MARKET, WORLD PEACE. If you believe in these ideals and want to further them, call Bill Smith at 000-0000 evenings and weekends."
Once you have identified a few other Build Freedomns or prospects in your area, get together with them in your living room or at a quiet and inexpensive restaurant to plan activities.
The Basic Chapter or Action Group
You can organize a basic Build Freedom Chapter or Action Group in
your living room, on your campus, or in your community. Schools
provide free meeting rooms for recognized campus groups, and most
freedomries provide free meeting rooms for non-political groups.
Other good meeting places include apartment party rooms,
community recreation centers, private rooms in restaurants and
churches.
Initial chapter activities usually consist of discussion meetings and speakers. Anything can be used as a basis for discussion meetings: an interesting article in the newspaper or a libertarian publication, tapes from a Build Freedom or libertarian conference, or perhaps just an idea you want to discuss.
Be sure to plan your meetings at least 30 days in advance, and make sure everyone on your mailing list receives a written notice with clear directions, and gets a reminder call a few days before the meeting. Postcards or simple typed flyers are fine for such initial meetings.
If you meet at a restaurant, pick an inexpensive one with a buffet. Otherwise you will find that a lot of people won't come because of prices, and many will still be ordering and eating when your program is supposed to start.
At the meeting, wear name tags and greet everyone. Make sure newcomers are introduced to everyone, and made to feel welcome. Serve light refreshments if you are meeting in your home. Start on time. Every meeting should also have a moderator whose main function is to keep the discussion going, and to make sure that everyone has a chance to speak.
Have a good selection of Build Freedom promotional materials on hand for people to pick up. It is also very desirable to print up a brochure or flyer describing your group and its objectives. Be sure to include a mailing address, contact person, and telephone number.
At the end of the meeting ask everyone what they liked and didn't like about the meeting. Ask them to suggest future topics and activities, and ask them to bring their friends with them next time.
If you are forming a campus group, you will need to become a "recognized campus organization" in order to qualify for free meeting rooms. This is usually a simple process, involving getting a few charter members, a faculty sponsor, and a written constitution conforming to Student Government Association guidelines. Check with your campus Student Government Association if you are forming a campus organization.
If you are forming a campus group, have live speakers whenever possible. And be sure to advertise your event with flyers on the campus bulletin boards and via notices in the campus paper, and on the campus radio station. Be sure to get everyone's name, address and telephone number.
Both campus and community groups should meet at the same place at the same time, at least once a month. That way members always know where and when to come to meetings.
Once you have formed a basic chapter, you can branch out into many more activities - limited only by your imagination and objectives. Possible group activities include debates, speaking before other groups, parties, writing columns for local and campus newspapers, and new free-market business projects.
It's Up to You!
The strength of the Build Freedom movement depends upon the efforts
of its members. By starting a Build Freedom Chapter, your ideas and
activities can have a real impact upon the future of
civilization. Forming a Build Freedom Chapter also expands your
knowledge, hones your organizational skills, and helps you make a
lot of new friends.
Notes on Creating a Successful Build Freedom Outreach
Organization
If you want to have a real impact upon society and our future,
creating a successful outreach organization may be one of your
most effective tools. We will explore many useful techniques
available to you. These notes are designed to provide techniques
for expanding a basic Build Freedom Chapter.
Outreach Meetings
A basic Build Freedom Chapter can be formed by a single individual.
Successful outreach efforts, however, usually require the
enthusiastic assistance of at least a few other people. (The
more, the better!) Be sure at least a few other people in your
group are ready, willing and able to help before you attempt a
major outreach effort. Here are some suggestions to make your
outreach activities as successful as possible:
Arrive early at your meeting room to make sure everything is properly set up; that the sound system works; that literature is put out; etc. If the meeting is small, put chairs in a circle. Have each person introduce him or herself.
Start your meeting on time. Dress conservatively. Introduce yourself. Describe your group's goals and introduce your speaker. Speeches should be no more than twenty to twenty-five minutes long, with plenty of time for questions. Ask people if they would like to receive future meeting announcements, if they have suggestions for future activities, and if they would like to help out with the group.
Be courteous, friendly, and professional. Thank everyone for coming and invite them to come back.
Other Group Activities
As your membership and experience grow, there are a large variety
of outreach activities in which you can engage, including
debates, courses, social activities, concerts, seminars, letters
and editorial replies to newspapers, and social action projects.
The choice of how much or how little you take on is entirely up
to you and your members. Here are some possibilities:
Newsletter
After your group is established, you should publish a periodic
newsletter in which you report previous meetings and announce
future activities. You may also want to report other news and
meetings of interest to your members. A newsletter can be a
simple letter-size sheet printed two-sides on a photocopier.
Ideally you should mail a newsletter once a month. In the
newsletter be sure to thank everyone who has helped with the
organization's activities.
Recruiting
A major objective for a Build Freedom Chapter or Action Group is to
find and train new Build Freedomns. An excellent way to recruit is
by giving speeches to other organizations. At high schools, you
can arrange libertarian speakers for economics, government, and
psychology classes. One particularly effective technique on
college campuses is to arrange for friendly professors to give
extra credit to students who attend your speeches and debates.
All of the activities listed below should also help you with
recruiting.
Becoming Profitable
From the outset you should focus on making the chapter a
profitable enterprise. You could charge membership fees. Members
should also be encouraged to find ways to make their
participation profitable to themselves. Be sure to study my book Wake
Up America! The Dynamics of Human Power, particularly the
sections dealing with "Human Power Groups." Some other
suggestions follow:
Speakers, Discussions & Debates. In addition to the previous suggestions for meetings, if you want to get a good turnout, pick topical and controversial issues. Debates usually draw particularly well. Hot topics vary from place to place, but currently AIDS, the War on Drugs, taxes, health reform, and asset forfeiture are particularly important. Most colleges will provide funds to official campus groups to help pay for speakers. Local professional groups will also pay for speakers.
Literature Tables: Tables well-stocked with free pamphlets, and reports, books and T-shirts for sale are a good way of getting new members. Good locations include county fairs, in front of post offices, shopping malls, campus student unions, and freedomries.
Courses: Society for Individual Liberty created "Principles of Liberty," the first libertarian home study course. You can develop your own courses based on Build Freedom and other freedom literature. Regular weekly discussion meetings are an excellent way to train new Build Freedomns.
Letter-Writing and Editorial Replies: These are activities that can be engaged in by any group. Writing regular letters to the editor and editorial replies on radio and TV can also bring new members if you can get contact details mentioned. If you have the time and talent, consider writing a regular column for a local newspaper and arranging appearances on local radio and TV talk shows. You can also regularly read letters to the editor, to identify sympathizers who should be contacted.
Outreach To Other Groups: Most groups are eager for a new and exciting speaker. Speaking before other campus and community groups is an excellent way to recruit while having fun. Be sure to bring lots of literature along and get the names and addresses of those who are sympathetic. On campus, organizing panel discussions and joint meetings with other groups is an excellent way to boost your attendance, get help with advertising, and recruit.
Social Activities & Concerts: Libertarian social activities tend to be poorly attended. However, if you are very sociable, like music and dancing, organizing a social activity will enable you to recruit an entirely new group of people. Many of your "social libertarian" friends will never attend a lecture, but they will be glad to come to more parties and bring friends with them. You can certainly talk about the Build Freedomn perspective on current events at parties and hand out literature (preferably with lots of pictures). If you are particularly ambitious you can even organize concerts, plays, etc.
Social Action Projects: You can participate in social action projects initiated by national groups, such as National Tax Protest Day, Jury Rights Day, Drug Legalization Rallies, etc. Or you send a Build Freedom contingent to local and national social action projects, such as anti-war demonstrations. Or if you are really ambitious you can start your own social action project.
Many successful, national projects were started by just a few people operating out of their living room, such as Mothers Against Drunk Driving. If you have the right issue at the right time, your group could start a major national movement. For example, you could start a movement to expose the AIDS hoax.
Your Kind of Group
A local Build Freedom Chapter or Action Group can be as simple as a
few Build Freedomns getting together once a month for socializing
and discussions. Or it can be a dynamic community club with
hundreds of members, like the Libertarian Social Club during the
mid-1970s. Or it can be a growing business conglomerate that
provides a wide range of real or true free-market products and
services. Or it can be a concerted effort to organize Build Freedom
groups at all local colleges. Or can even be an attempt to change
the consciousness of an entire nation - or the whole world! - on
issues like AIDS or coercion.
The type of groups you create should be those that fulfill your needs and objectives. No matter how modest or lofty those may be, we at Build Freedom Holdings are available to help you get off the ground.
Part 3 - DIRECT MAIL/MAIL ORDER
Some people, including myself, find it much easier to sell by mail, using the printed word, rather than person-to-person, using the spoken word. I'm a better writer than a speaker. Selling by mail is a big subject, difficult to master. Most attempts to make money by selling via mail fail. The big winners are the post office, the suppliers and brokers of mailing lists, the paper suppliers, and the printers. The big losers are the tens of thousands of "opportunity seekers" who try their luck.
Selling via Newsletters
Nevertheless, Build Freedom's initial spectacular success is
largely due to selling via mail. The first success came from
persuading newsletters to publish Build Freedom sales flyers as
advertisements - using the three-level marketing method with the
newsletter as Distributor. The marginal cost for a newsletter to
do this is negligible - so their risk is minimal. Their reward is
a Distributor commission for every client they generate. In
addition, some of these clients have become Distributors with the
newsletter as their Sponsor. So the newsletter continues to earn
Sponsor commissions on the sales generated by the Distributors
the newsletter generated. For many freedom and investment
newsletters this could prove very profitable. Every Distributor
should consider this option.
Freedom-Oriented Friends and Acquaintances
You could mail a personal letter plus a Build Freedom flyer to
friends and acquaintances you know are freedom-oriented. You
could follow up with a phone call. Some of Build Freedom's initial
success came from this approach.
Freedom-Oriented Bookbuyers
People who buy more than one book via mail are hot prospects for
purchasing additional books and reports via mail. Repeat
freedom-oriented bookbuyers are the best prospects to whom to
promote Build Freedom via mail. I suggest mailing lists of the
following:
Other Freedom-Oriented People
Build Freedom could be promoted via mail to newsletter subscribers
by renting their mailing lists. This applies to mailing lists of
freedom-oriented investment letters and organizations such as The
National Taxpayers Union. Build Freedom's next major product will
be The Asset Forfeiture Protection Manual. I expect that
this could become a "hot product" to sell via mail.
Health-Oriented People
The AIDS report could be sold via mail to health-oriented people.
This could be a big winner. The formula used in the AIDS report
could be duplicated for products on other issues:
Learning Direct Mail and Mail Order
Some individuals have made fortunes by selling via mail. I &
O Publishing Company of Las Vegas is an outstanding example of a
Direct-Mail company that makes millions every year by selling
freedom-related products via mail. It can be done. It has been
done. You can do it too. To learn how to do it consult the books
in the Annotated Bibliography that follows, then start in a small
way and learn as you proceed. Build Freedom Holdings will gladly
assist.
Part 4 - ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY
Aguayo, Rafael: Dr. Deming: The American Who Taught the Japanese About Quality (Carol Publishing, NY; 1990) Comprehensive introduction to Deming's management philosophy and practice. The Deming management philosophy contains the most advanced management principles I have come across.
Antin, H. Brad and Alan J: Secrets from the Lost Art of Common Sense Marketing (The Antin Marketing Group, 600 Cleveland St #780, Clearwater, FL 34615). Practical, powerful marketing principles. How to succeed during recessions and depressions. Down-to-earth.
Applied Cynergetics: The Cynergetics Sixty Minute Success/Wealth Guidebook (Applied Cynergetics, 1308 Broad St, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401; 1991). Key success principles you can read in 60 minutes. Down-to-earth. Very powerful.
Arden, Lynie: The Work-At-Home Sourcebook (Live Oak Publications, PO Box 2193, Boulder, CO 80306; Fourth Edition; 1992). Already, 40 million Americans work at home. This number is growing by almost 20% per year. Eventually, as much as three-quarters of the work done in the U.S. could be done at home. This book constitutes a comprehensive resource guide for home-based work and business opportunities. (Developing your own home-based business could help you shift your economic activities into the real, true, or pure free market.
Barker, Joel Arthur: Future Edge: Discovering the New Paradigms of Success (William Morrow, NY; 1992). Build Freedom is attempting to bring about a paradigm shift - "a change to a new game. a new set of rules" - The Build Freedom Code; the economic shift into the real, true, or pure free market. Barker provides the dynamics of how such paradigm shifts occur. Who instigates such paradigm shifts? How do they do it? What are the roles of leaders and managers related to paradigm shifts?
Bennis, Warren & Nanus, Burt: Leaders: The Strategies for Taking Charge (Harper & Row, NY; 1985). An attempt - in my opinion, successful - to formulate a general theory of leadership. A leader formulates an inspiring vision; communicates that vision effectively; generates trust in himself or herself, the vision, and the organization; regards the activity of leadership as a means for self-development.
Cunnungham, Jan: All About Multi-Level Marketing - The Wave of the Future with Five Steps to Success (CMC Multi-Level Marketing, 1020 15th Street, Suite 41C, Denver, CO 80202; 1986). "Of the 500,000 millionaires in America today [1984], 20% of them made their fortune from 1978 to 1984, in six short years, in Multi-Level Marketing."
Dawson, Roger: Secrets of Power Persuasion: Everything You'll Ever Need to Get Anything You'll Ever Want (Prentice Hall, NJ; 1992). The most comprehensive and most powerful book on persuasion I know of. Down-to-earth
Du Vall, Dean F,V.: DAX Complete Guide To Direct Mail and Mail Order (Du Vall Press, Box 1595, Boulder City, NV 89005; 1982). Useful, practical advice from a highly successful practitioner. Autobiographical. Down-to-earth.
Du Vall, Dean F,V.: The Du Vall Method For Acquiring Great Self-Publishing Wealth (Du Vall Press, Box 1595, Boulder City, NV 89005; 1982). Du Vall describes how he did it. Important principles. Autobiographical. Down-to-earth.
Du Vall, Dean F,V.: Grab Your Share of the Wealth: A Comprehensive Course on Commercial Newsletter Publishing (Du Vall Press, Box 1595, Boulder City, NV 89005; 1984). A valuable guide to newsletter publishing. Cost me $100. Autobiographical. Down-to-earth.
Fleet, James K. Van: Miracle People Power (Parker Publishing, NY; 1975). Powerful, practical techniques for influencing people. Down-to-earth.
Fleet, James K. Van: The 22 Biggest Mistakes Managers Make And How to Correct Them (Parker Publishing, NY; 1973). An important set of tools for every leader or manager. Down-to-earth.
Fraser-Robinson, John: The Secrets of Effective Direct Mail (McGraw-Hill, London; 1989). Comprehensive British textbook, specifically on direct mail - advertising via mail. Covers the minutest details, for example designing mailpieces with a "natural eye path" - various items are placed so the eye follows a natural path, picking up the essential information on each page in a second or two. Extremely sophisticated.
Gabor, Andrea: The Man Who Discovered Quality (Penguin, NY; 1990). The management philosophy of W. Edwards Deming, the main inspiration behind the quality revolution in Japan. How Deming's principles were implemented in major U.S. corporations such as Ford, Xerox, and GM.
Gillies, Jerry: Moneylove: How to Get the Money You Deserve for Whatever You Want (Warner Books, NY; 1978). "Wealth is attracted to the person who is emotionally and intellectually ready to accept it, expect it, and enjoy it. Poverty consciousness will overwhelm you if you don't have a personal program for prosperity."
Hawken, Paul: Growing a Business (Simon & Schuster, NY; 1987). While in his twenties, Hawken started Erewhon, which became the largest distributor of natural foods. Says Hawken:
Hoge, Cecil C., Sr.: Mail Order Moonlighting (Ten Speed Press; 1976). How to start a mail order business in your spare time. A treasury of practical advice. Sophisticated.
Holtz, Herman: Great Promo Pieces: Create Your Own Brochures, Broadsides, Ads, Flyers, and Newsletters That Get Results (John Wiley, NY; 1988). Excellent instruction manual for writing advertising copy. Down-to-earth.
Hopkins, Claude C.: My Life in Advertising & Scientific Advertising (NTC Business Books, 4255 W. Touhy Ave, Lincolnwood, IL 60646; 1990 - first published in 1927 and 1923, respectively). A must for anyone involved in advertising. Down-to-earth. David Ogilvy said, "Nobody should be allowed to have anything to do with advertising until he has read this book (Scientific Advertising) seven times. It changed the course of my life."
Hopkins, Tom: How to Master the Art of Selling (Warner, NY; 1980). Comprehensive textbook on selling by one of the world's greatest salemen of all time. Down-to-earth.
Jaynes, Julian: The Origin of Consciousness in the Breakdown of the Bicameral Mind (Houghton Mifflin, Boston; 1990 - originally published in 1976). In my opinion, the most important book on psychology ever written. Explains where human consciousness came from, how it developed, and where it is now - why most humans still crave "external authorities."
Kawasaki, Guy: Selling The Dream: How To Promote Your Product, Company, or Ideas - and Make a Difference - Using Everyday Evangelism (Harper Collins, NY; 1991). A former Apple Computer executive - who played a major role in the development of the Macintosh computer - explains how a vision or dream is spread through "everyday evangelism." Includes the "Macintosh Product Introduction Plan."
Kennedy, Daniel S.: The Ultimate Sales Letter (Bob Adama, 260 Center St, Holbrook, MA 02334; 1990). Powerful, step-by-step procedure for writing winning sales letters. Down-to-earth.
Lancaster, Don: The Incredible Secret Money Machine (Howard W. Sams, 4300 West 62nd St., Indianapolis, IN 42268; 1980). Unconventional advice for starting your small private business. Down-to-earth. Provides very useful guidelines for entrepreneurs of the new real free-enterprise economy: "Your own trip has to be the absolute center of everything you do, everything you work with, and everything you believe in. Doing it has to be much more important to you than making money, more important than worrying about what people think, and more important than behaving, competing, or complying the way others think you should."
Laut, Phil: Money Is My Friend (Trinity Publications, 1636 N. Curson Ave, Hollywood, CA 90046). Exposes money myths. Affirmations. Inspired by Leonard Orr, founder of "Rebirthing." "Financial Freedom is when you never do anything that you don't want to for money and you never omit doing something that you want to do because of lack of money. Another way of describing the condition of financial freedom is that money works for you, instead of you working for money."
LeBoeuf, Michael, Ph.D.: The Greatest Management Principle in the World (Putnam, NY; 1985). One of the most powerful books on management. It does justice to its title. Down-to-earth.
LeBoeuf, Michael, Ph.D.: How to Win Customers and Keep Them for Life (Berkley Books, NY; 1989). Covers product development, marketing, selling, and customer service. Down-to-earth.
Levinson, Jay Conrad: Guerilla Marketing: Secrets for Making Big Profits from Your Small Business (Houghton Mifflin, Boston; 1984). Covers a wide range of marketing methods and vehicles, "Guerilla marketing demands that you scrutinize every single one of these marketing methods and more, then use the combination that seems best for your business."
Mann, Frederick: The Economic Rape of America: What You Can Do About It (Free America! Institute). How the Federal Reserve bankers, the politicians and bureaucrats, the IRS, and members of the legal profession "rape" the American economy. The destruction of the U.S. Dollar. Inflation and hyperinflation. The Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. The nature of taxation and government. How to protect your income and assets. How to discover and develop your freedom.
Mann, Frederick: Wake Up America! The Dynamics of Human Power (Free America! Institute). Vital insights on the nature and dynamics of human power. Covers individual as well as economic and social power. Anyone who understands the nature and dynamics of human power can achieve what Gandhi did and more
Mungo, Raymond: Cosmic Profit: How to Make Money Without Doing Time (Little, Brown, Boston; 1980). "There must be, I thought, there ought to be, a different kind of profit, the kind that gives people a way to make a living doing what they enjoy, enables them to live free in their hearts. It is the rarest kind of profit, the gift of life, energy runaround, cosmic profit - the sense of being restored and excited and energized, rather than drained, by a day's work."
Nadler, Gerald & Hibino Shozo: Breakthrough Thinking: Why We Must Change The Way We Solve Problems, And The Seven Principles To Achieve This ( Prima Publishing, PO Box 1260GN, Rocklin, CA 95677; 1990). A brilliant synthesis of the principles the most effective problem-solvers use. Why organizations - particularly governments - can't solve problems. "Individual human brainpower is the world's most valuable resource."
Nash, Edward L.: Direct Marketing: Strategy, Planning, Execution (McGraw-Hill, NY; 1982). Comprehensive textbook, covering a range of media - mail order, direct mail, telephone, radio, TV. Sophisticated.
Ogilvy, David: Ogilvy On Advertising (Pan Books, London; 1983). One of the most successful advertisers tells how it is done. On page 210 there is a picture of Governor Dewey ("a scientific demagogue") with two posters from his 1950 campaign: "CRUSADE FOR FREEDOM - SEND A MESSAGE BEHIND THE IRON CURTAIN" and "CRUSADE FOR FREEDOM - LIGHTS THE TORCH OF LIBERTY FOR THE CAPTIVE PEOPLE OF EUROPE AND ASIA." Ogilvy says, "There is one category of advertising which is totally uncontrolled and flagrantly dishonest: the television commercials for candidates in Presidential elections. ... I have never taken political parties as clients... "
Maybe Build Freedom could use the slogans: "CRUSADE FOR FREEDOM - TERRA LIBRA SENDS A MESSAGE BEHIND THE WASHINGTON CURTAIN" and "CRUSADE FOR FREEDOM - TERRA LIBRA LIGHTS THE TORCH OF LIBERTY FOR THE CAPTIVE PEOPLE OF AMERICA (AND THE WORLD)."
Patent, Arnold M.: You Can Have It All: The Art of Winning the Money Game and Living a Life of Joy (Money Mastery Publishing, Box 336, Piermont, NY 10968; 1984). Powerful concepts and principles for mastering money and life in general. Inspired by Leonard Orr, founder of "Rebirthing."
Phillips, Michael: The Seven Laws of Money (Random House, NY and Word Wheel Books, Menlo Park, CA; 1974). "My understanding of the First Law of Money [money will come when you are doing the right thing] is that a person's focus must be on his passion. He must be able to integrate who he is with what he is doing, see his project as a whole, and do his work systematically in order to legitimately expect the money to take on its secondary "helping" role."
Reeves, Rosser: Reality in Advertising (Alfred A. Knopf, NY; 1979 - first published in 1960). An enduring advertising classic. Describes important advertising concepts and principles. Down-to-earth.
Ries, Al & Trout, Jack: Bottom-Up Marketing (Penguin, NY; 1990). The essence of "bottom-up marketing" is finding a tactic that works, then building that up into a strategy. Example: A flyer advertising The Economic Rape of America was given to three people in a small business. They all bought. If further testing proves this tactic workable, then it could be developed into a marketing strategy based on the theme: "America is bankrupt! What can you do to rescue yourself?"
Ries, Al & Trout, Jack: Horse Sense: The Key to Success Is Finding a Horse to Ride (McGraw-Hill, NY; 1991). A most important "success book." According to Ries and Trout: "The purpose of this book is to shake you out of your concentration on yourself. We think you need to open your mind to the outside world. You need to search for success outside of yourself. This book will describe some of the people, places, things, and ideas where you can find it. Losers look inside themselves for the key to success when success is all round them, needing only an open mind and a keen eye. Winners look to others to make then successful. You have to know where to look and what to look for."
Ries, Al & Trout, Jack: Positioning: The Battle For Your Mind (Warner Books, NY; 1986 - first published in 1981). A marketing classic. How to get your company and your product "in the mind" of your customer. Down-to-earth.
Ringer, Robert J.: How You Can Find Happiness During the Collapse of Western Civilization (Harper & Row, NY; 1983). Explains why the gradual collapse of Western civilization continues day by day. Why hyperinflation and complete destruction of the U.S. dollar and financial system are inevitable. How to survive it all.
Ringer, Robert J.: Million Dollar Habits (Wynwood Press, NY; 1990). A systematic formulation of Ringer's success principles. Down-to-earth.
Ringer, Robert J.: Looking Out For #1 (Fawcett Crest Books, NY; 1977). "Dedicated to the hope that somewhere in our universe there exists a civilization whose inhabitants possess sole dominion over their own lives, where every individual has the ability to recognize and the courage to acknowledge reality, and where governments as we know them do not exist."
"Looking out for Number One is the conscious, rational effort to spend as much time as possible doing those things which bring you the greatest amount of pleasure and less time on those which cause pain. Everyone automatically makes the effort to be happy, so the key word is "rational.""
Ringer, Robert J.: Winning Through Intimidation (Circus/Futura, London; 1978 - first published in 1973). A very important book for learning the principles, mechanics, and dynamics of intimidation. "... [T]he results a person obtains are inversely proportionate to the degree to which he is intimidated." The reason it is vital to understand intimidation is to make it more difficult for people (like the IRS) to screw you or to rape you economically.
Roller, David: How To Make Big Money in Multi-Level Marketing (Prentice Hall, NJ; 1989). Excellent multilevel marketing "how-to" manual.
Schwartz, Eugene M.: Breakthrough Advertising: How to Write Ads that Shatter Traditions and Sales Records (Boardroom Books, 1984 - first published in 1966). "There is a way to develop an entirely new market for a new or an old product. That way involves a certain number of clearly-defined steps. And in this book I show you every single one of those steps."
Seligman, Martin E.P., Ph.D.: Learned Optimism (Alfred A. Knopf, NY; 1991). Describes the essential differences between optimists and pessimists. Both optimism and pessimism are learned habits of behavior. Contains simple exercises for learning optimism. Has important business implications.
Sher, Barbara: Wishcraft: How to Get What You Really Want (Ballantine Books, NY; 1979). A superb practical guide to help you find your goals and make your dreams come true. How to create a support system, often vital to success. Extensive list of resources.
Simon, Julian L.: How to Start and Operate a Mail-Order Business (McGraw-Hill, NY; 1980). A comprehensive guide to mail order. Sophisticated.
Sinetar, Marsha: Do What You Love, The Money Will Follow: Discover Your Right Livelihood (Paulist Press, NY; 1987). "Our right work is just as important to personality health and growth as the right nutrients are for our bodies. ... [N]inety-five percent of America's working population do not enjoy the work they do."
Steward, Hal D.: Money Making Secrets of the Millionaires (Parker Publishing, N;Y; 1972). Powerful set of money-making and success concepts and principles. Biographical.
Suarez, Benjamin: 7 Steps to Freedom: How to Escape the American Rat Race (The Publishing Corporation of America, Canton, OH; 1978). A wealth of practical mail-order know-how. Autobiographical. Down-to-earth.
Sugarman, Joseph: Success Forces (Contemporary Books, Chicago; 1980). Autobiography of the successful mail order marketer of calculators and other electronic gadgets. Down-to-earth.
Uris, Auren: Mastery of People (Prentice-Hall, NJ; 1964). Powerful techniques for influencing people. Down-to-earth.
Walton, Mary: The Deming Management Method (Perigree Books, NY; 1986). Thorough rendition of Deming, the man, his mission, and his method. The Deming management philosophy contains the most advanced management principles I have come across.
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