"Before you write a single word of copy…"  as I recall it was about planning the promotion and the steps for completing a plan. 
That struck a chord with me and I printed this out.  I have since moved and have been unable to locate this very important article.  Am I having a false memory or is my own personal geezrhood kicking in?  I sure could use some help in locating it.

Once agian thanks for everything you and your staff do I cannot fully express my appreciation so thank you with all that phrase embodies.

Gary Raimo

At the very mention of the "R" word, spending slows. It’s like a little lie told in high school which becomes an avalanche of rumor. Spending slows to snail snot pace, increasing inflation all the while…on a rumor!

This issue just flat out pisses me off.

No sooner do we get the figures that we in fact are not in a recession, missing it by a mere 6% growth rate. Then we hear some twit in an UK newspaper declares we’re in a "Great Depression" which is patently absurd.

ARGH! 

If I’m wrong, set me straight, if I’m right then I’m tossing you the ball to get the word out.

Chris

Swans, I guess you missed the memo:  After thinking about your (great) idea, I’ve come to the conclusion that it would be presumptuous and unfair of us – and less valuelable for you – if I walked you through other writers’ promotions.  So we’re working on lining up several top writers to show you how they thought their way through their own promos.  I’ll keep you posted …

You’re right, Patrick:  The human brain looks for patterns in everything – like when it sees horsies and duckies in clouds.  But economic patterns often do repeat themselves and the cycle often seems to take somewhere around 30 years:  Just enough time for the people who presided over or suffered through the last cycle to retire or die off.

Thanks, John!  Can’t help but wonder why everytime I write anything, people think I’m about to try to sell them something.  Glad our products have helped, you, bud!

Great for you, Jennifer!  Congrats on that whole UK thing.  Have you met Drayton Bird?  Maybe the two of you should hook up …

That’s the spirit, Phil!  :)  I, too, choose not to participate.  Making that choice requires an understanding of how the world works and then other choices aimed at growing your business through the challenges you’ll face.  We’re all rooting for you!

Yes, Kevin, there is money to be made with the differences in economic cycles.  But sometimes, when you’re handed a situation as predictable as this one, there is also huge money to be made with the similarities – and in many cases, with much less risk.

Gary, you made the point that near the end of the last major inflationary cycle, interest rates rose.  I’m still wondering where you’re going with that one, but yes, of course you’re right.

Typically, as inflation expectations rise, investors begin avoiding bonds, treasuries and other interest-bearing investments that pay less than the inflation rate.  That causes the price of those investments to fall.  And by definition, that causes effective interest rates to rise.

At this early point in this new inflationary cycle though, relatively few economists, pundits and investors have accepted the inflationary scenario (they never read Ludwig von Mises).  So the benchmark 10-year treasury is still yielding only about 3.7% – less than the "official" inflation rate, and less than half the real inflation rate when measured using the metrics Washington used in 1980.

Buying treasuries today is a sure way to guarantee yourself an inflation-adjusted loss – both now, and increasing losses as inflation continues to rise.  Plus, as if to add insult to injury, you have to pay taxes on the yield you earn.  (Sounds more like an IQ test than an investment if you ask me!)

Also – remember that the top margingal income tax rate in 1980 was 70% – DOUBLE today’s top rate (although before Kemp-Roth, we had lots of juicy deductions and loopholes you could drive a truck through; so most of us paid much less than the top rate).

I think you have the right idea, Geezerbut … I’m convinced that products that empower people to become more self-reliant will do increasingly well as this cycle unfolds.  Good luck with that!

To be fair, I should point out that some people I respect are more worried about a deflationary depression than an inflationary recession right now.

I don’t see that happening in the short term because Washington is still printing money like there’s no tomorrow to fight this crisis.  But at some point later on – when interest rates hit 20% or 30% and the government discovers that nobody wants its treasuries, it seems like a distinct possibility.

Either way it goes – inflation or deflation – the message is the same:  You can’t trust the government with your money or your future.  And as the pain intensifies, more and more of our prospects will jump at the opportunity to take control of their own fortunes.

Cheers, y’all!

– Clayton

I’ve started looking at the "self-sustainable" markets.  For example, for only $10 I subscribed to the magazine Mother Earth News.  Its got ads in it,  so there’s at least a little coin to be had.  And the markets not getting smaller, IMHO.

Simply get your vegetable garden ebook right here and also get complete plans to construct your own compost bin for less than the price of five red bell peppers and three heads of romaine lettuce.  And then join my garden club membership.  And buy this proprietary soil additive.  Etc…Etc…Etc…

Care to ellucidate?

Good times ahead.  The pretenders will be gone.  The players will survive and come through with aces.

Focus, work hard and listen to what they don’t say.  That is where the gold is.

Look for the similarities, but study the differences. There’s money to be made in the differences.

People have not changed. Desires have not changed.

The presidential campaign promises were probably the same 30 years ago too.

As far as the recession goes, I remember something Sam Walmart said a few years back  "I chose not to participate".

thanks.

While I don’t target specific industries (more a specific type of client or company - style, approach, etc.) I have begun targeting specific geographic regions that are HAPPY to pay my US$ rates. The UK has been buttering my bread a LOT lately!

Some of the greatest fortunes have been those forged in adversity!

Thanks for the pick me up, Clayton! I get a lot of junk in my in-box and I love coming across your insights when I’m cleaning out my folders! Keep ‘em comin’!

Jennifer